


Fates:Revelations

by TegamiBachi25



Series: Twins of Fate [1]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Adventure & Romance, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anger Management, Angst and Humor, Betrayal, Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Corruption, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Emotional Manipulation, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, F/M, Fallen Heroes, Family Issues, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Hatred, Heroes to Villains, Mind Manipulation, My First Fanfic, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Possessive Behavior, Power Imbalance, Rough Sex, Seduction to the Dark Side, Sibling Bonding, Sibling Incest, Sibling Love, Stealth Crossover, Torture, Treachery, Twin Corrins, Twincest
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-26
Updated: 2020-01-05
Packaged: 2020-07-25 22:37:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 49,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20033491
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TegamiBachi25/pseuds/TegamiBachi25
Summary: Two siblings must decide what family-what kingdom-they will stay with. Will they follow their birth family, or stay with the ones who raised them? Or, unable to stay with either, chooses neither of them? What path they do take however is filled with nothing but suffering and all isn’t what it seems. Corruption, lies, deceit, and manipulation lies on both sides of their kingdoms. As they discover this and more , they realize one thing:They can trust no one but each otherA retelling of Fire Emblem Fates, following the revelations path





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> So yeah, this is my first story. And it’s fire emblem. And it’s on Fates because I love that game. 
> 
> This will be a retelling of the game following revelations. The game will diverge from the canon or the game’s route and go a different path.

How long had he been here? Years? Centuries? It felt longer than that... yes... longer... like a millennia. Yes! A millennia! Something akin to that... or was it actually a millennia? Had it passed by that much? Was it even possible? He didn’t know. He never kept track of time, nor put much thought into it. Days to him felt like a week, even though it’s equivalent to twenty four hours. Sometimes it felt even shorter. Like only a measly one hour to ten. Years in that case felt like weeks and weeks felt like days. The opposite. He didn’t really know why he felt this way, even. Somebody, a person, a friend he had. Yes... his friend merely told him that everybody felt this way when he brought it up for discussion one time when his friend came over and chatted. It was common to think of this. Though he himself knew nobody from there; that place (he just nearly forgotten its name after it was such a long time-was it? He didn’t know-he had seen it: Valla. He recalled it after a while ago.) that it was in less extremes than what he saw it as. Differing opinions, he supposed. Though a part of him known as pride led him to believe that he was right in this regard. He never argued about it anyway with the inhabitants of Valla.

He looked around. From his vantage point, he could see nothing but darkness. Black and murky. Everywhere, even as far as the eye can see, was covered in darkness. Bits and pieces of stone and rock floated about at random slowly, decorating the yet still drab sky. He barely remembered the last time light reached here. No light of any sort reached here. The sky was rich full of it: The darkness. It didn’t seem like it would ever stop. Not that it annoyed him or provoked any negative feelings out of him. Quite the contrary. He actually liked the darkness. It represented that things must always be hidden. The darkness did well to hide such stuff. Unlike the light, which shone and illuminate it. He wanted it to last forever. Though he knew such things like that are not possible, then as long as he could wish it to be. One could say he’s very secretive, which would no doubt be true. 

Stepping down from his chair-no, a throne. His footsteps, silent. If there was any audience to bear witness to hear it, they would hear nothing. He wore no shoes, no footwear of any kind; he was barefoot, which added to why his footsteps were silent or gave any noise. Nothing more than the occasional sound of wind rushing by the vicinity they were in. Reaching the bottom of the set of stairs, he pauses, thinking back to fond memories of his friend. His thoughts going back to him inexplicably.

Yes. His friend. The one person he loved and cherished above all else. The man was kind, simply put. No other words could describe him, and if there were, then it would be any similar to kind. Loyal. Generous. Any positive things to say about him. Accepting. Even for what he was. 

Now to a lone or any bystanders out witnessing to what he was thinking, what was passing through his mind, who were reading these very thoughts. They would understand the former two words. After all, friends, even a best one or couple, fit those words well or perfectly. They would, however, ask why accepting? Every friend accepts who their other was, no matter what. What could “even for what he is” mean? What could he be that would questions a friend’s loyalty just for what he could be?

To answer the questions to that nonexistent bystander or standers, he was a dragon.

Yes. A dragon. The very same mystical beings read in fairytales or stories. The same legends inscribed in poems. Sang and told in songs by bards. Feared by many, for countless tales of their violent and destructive nature. Their predator way of life. By all accounts, dragons should be nothing but stories told and feared and respected by, never to come true or ever exist. One could never put any sort of belief into said beings. How could they, after all? Impossible. Blasphemy. Saying something is true without any proof. With hundreds of sources having theirs, saying otherwise?

Except that it is true in this story. In this very universe, it’s true. Dragons, as far as a myth and legend as one wants to believe as much, are very much real in this story spoken of. Beings people thought fake, made up, or what tale they exist in do become very much true in this very story. Alive. Breathing. Sentient. Living amongst humanity since the dawn of time. And he himself, was one.

Wait! If he was a dragon, then how can his footsteps be silent? It shouldn’t be. No one should ever associate the word silent with dragon. That word could only be applied to animals who have traits in vein of “silent”. A dragon couldn’t possibly be silent. But he was. Someone would also question “footsteps?” “Footwear?” A dragon did not wear those clothing. They were entirely bare, wearing absolutely nothing. Only humans wore shoes and footwear. Yet he wasn’t human. 

To answer those very questions to those who would ask: they would soon find out in due time.

After reaching the bottom of the stairs from the top to where his throne was laid, he goes and walks further on a platform and various hallways. The whole area was like a maze, but he was never lost. He studied the area so many times before that he knew it simply by memory. And the fact is that all pathways led to the sacred throne which he sat upon. There was no reason to get lost either way. He snorted. The idea of the area being a maze and yet all pathways ensured the destination to the throne was not lost on him. He descends another long set of staircase. As he reaches the bottom, he sees a platform that acted as a bottom from the staircase-what people would be stepping on before they even put a foot on the first step. Besides that very platform, was another one. A circular, slightly jagged, hunk of earth and rock and stone. He remembers that very circular platform being there a while ago. Stepping on it, he waits not for a few seconds before the platform he was standing begins to groan and it begins to make a descent down.

As it slowly begins, he once again thinks of his friend. His name was as clear as he could remember since he first met him and when the man introduced himself. Cadros. Yes. King Cadros of Valla. His friend. His dead friend. He did not remember when had they met for the very first time but he does remember him and all the years spent with each other. A sad smile forms on his lips, unseen. Cadros was a friend unlike any other. They had been with each other for years. So many and yet it passed so quickly.

The large jagged piece he was standing on and currently occupying continued to groan and creak, as it went further and further down. Solemnity and grief, the core of sadness; and sorrow and regret and guilt, but he shouldn’t feel responsible for his friends death since he wasn’t the cause, but he does, because he misses him. He knew it wasn’t his fault but yet he does feel it because he knew him and and it hurts. It hurts and the pain; physical. Like a knife being shoved to a persons chest to heart. It was unrelenting and a pain that unlike any other. It nearly brings him to his knees and tears are beginning to form in his eyes. But he manages. He must move past the pain, past Cadros. What done is done. Cadros is gone and won’t ever come back. 

The pain recedes and fades into nothingness, leaving him blank and cold; a hollow emptiness. The feeling only lasts for a few seconds and then he’s no longer thinking about it. 

A booming noise echoes throughout the darkness, and the platform he stands on shakes as it reaches the bottom, as if there was an earthquake. Stepping off of it, he walks down the linear but extremely curved road. It wasn’t long before he finally reaches the destination. 

The area was a wide, hollowed out, and encompassed by a large building, surrounded by many other buildings-interconnected-that were much smaller in size but nevertheless still impressive and big. Gritty and weathered and rust was forming on the metal to where the buildings had any of the material—looking to barely be on its last legs and could fall and topple over any minute—those were what all had in common. Pieces of earth and stone still floated about at random at the sky, but that wasn’t what his focus was on currently, it was on the buildings. 

From the characteristics of the building, it looked to be what would be called a domino effect: that if one building toppled over, then it would hit another building, which due to the same characteristic, would topple over another and another until it all came crashing down. But it didn’t. The buildings have stood up for centuries; he of course remembers them a while ago. A hush of cold wind and air blows over the area, ruffling the dead grass, plants, and what was left of trees. (If was leaves on the trees, or barely any of it so the trees looked naked and picked clean was any indication) And lastly, his clothes.

He swiftly goes up to up on the steps of the building, then cuts through the inside, before proceeding out and turning down the empty road to which it led to. As it led deeper and deeper into the distance, he continues down the path, continuing to what seemed to be forever...

—————————————————————————————————————————

From into the distance. Yes he could see it. He could see it.

If that same person or people who questioned everything before would ask now “what was he talking about? What can he see?” Those questions weren’t particularly bad or shown the objective view, it was rather what was the fact. There was nothing but thick fog to be seen, cutting off any view so that only within up to twenty meters can be seen. Squinting did also very little to nothing to help either.

But he was not any person. With a part of his blood of a dragon coursing through his veins, it gave him the ability to see much farther than any normal human. And unlike humans, his vision was just barely obscured by such climate changes such as thick fog or rain, still just retaining his great sight. His senses were also more attuned that way. They told him that this was the right path. 

No later did his claim prove right as three figures swiftly and suddenly came out of the trees, landing in front of him. They stared at him, their eyes dead. Their bodies were almost entirely invisible. A dark shadowy mist emitted from them, which a faint outline of their bodies could be seen if one looked close enough. He knew however, whoever did try to see wouldn’t even get the chance to. Grey and black colored, made almost unseen by a their bodies, covered them from head to toe. Armor. They were also equipped with various tools. Weapons. The three figures in front of him had knives; kunais. He glanced down at them. They were strapped predominantly to the waists of the figures by a belt. Their weapons were held by holders, fitted snugly as an extra precaution to keep them in place. The middle also had an extra weapon. A short sword. The sharp small weapon was made with steel. 

If one were to see this right now, they would wonder who were they and why were they equipped with weapons. Why were they bowing towards him as a servant to king?

The very simple reason they were equipped was to keep any would be intruders out if they ever found out about the place; the one he was currently heading to right now. He knows this; he was the one who made them, after all. It also gave them a foreboding and threatening look. If anyone besides him were to walk down the same path and take his place instead, they would be dead before they ever reach the destination, as these figures would strike down their target with their weapons. A swift strike or two, aiming for a central nervous system part, and that person would be gone as quickly as they arrived. He smirked. It would be a fine sight. He wasn’t too worried about the person finding the place he intended to reach if they were to go the same way and find out the same. Only a select few knew about the place he intended to reach anyway, and yet those were almost all gone. But if they did come, somehow, then their stupidity and foolishness costed them their lives, not to mention for his enjoyment in seeing a gruesome sight.

The figure from the left and right went down to one knee, bowing before him. The middle however, took a step towards him until they were only a few feet’s apart before the figure went down to one knee with its other companions. It suddenly then spoke:

“My lord.”

The voice rang out, dead and emotionless as their blood colored eyes. However, this voice was also feminine. “It”, the figure, was “her”. He could see the subtle curves of “her” body from the faint outline. The other figures were also another her-female-from the left, and a him-male-from the right. His concern however, was not on the other two figures. It was focused on her, the middle. 

He recognizes her. How could he not? He made her. From many years since after Cadros died, she was one of the few who served him the longest ever since. As being the most loyal since Cadros.

He stares silently at her for short moment before speaking. “Ambree.” 

No any more words than necessary were needed, “Ambree” gives her head a slight tilt; he could see her ash tinted dark hair behind the long hood she wore over that slightly shifted out as she tilted in a nod, and a mask she donned, covering most of her face. Both her and her two companions had black colored markings he saw from their hands and went up their arms, making it stand out completely from the almost invisible but faint body outline they had.

Ambree leads her now three companions continuing the path that he was originally taking, until finally, a gate could be seen at the distance, a large gate that encompassed and spread throughout past the trees and land. As they reached the gate, Ambree signals the group of figures situated at top of the large doors-guards. The two on top then signals a few behind the gate and inside. A trembling groan could be heard from the inside and as two other figures continue to push at a built contraption to open the gate, all four enter, before the two that opened turned the contraption the opposite way and the gates began to shut again, blocking for those inside that would want to see outside.

From then, the four made their way towards. They moved past buildings that were equally as gritty and drab and worn as the buildings he saw earlier when he came down. He could see many more figures now, just like Ambree and her companions. They bore all the same characteristics: red, dead, and emotionless cold eyes, and their bodies barely seen by an outline. Young and old. They just stood and watched as Ambree and the other three made their way past. He knew none of them; their names to him entirely forgotten. It didn’t matter either way. There was too much of them to try and remember.

Looking at Ambree for no reason whatsoever, (Maybe he had something he forgotten to say to her? He couldn’t remember) He could see her mumble something to her companions. They nodded slightly, then departed, disappearing into the dead buildings alleyways. Now it was just him and Ambree.

As the two continue down for about ten minutes-it felt like an hour-Ambree turns to him and spoke softly, with her dead tone. “We are approaching Gyges, milord.”

He nods. Of course like all the places he went past, he remembers Gyges. A large castle. He seen it many times before with Cadros and they had discussed many topics at hand and now a few times again while he was traveling here, conversing with Ambree. Gyges has been his meeting place with Cadros. Ambree and others too.

He was caught off of his reverie as Ambree pauses, looking up. He too looks up. They were here. 

Gyges was simply astounding. Placed high upon and above what seemed to be a mix of a mountain and a cliff, many stairs were below from what he and Ambree needed to climb. The building itself was another matter. While it like all the other buildings past retained its gritty worn down nature, it still had an air of majestically left. Flecks of gold, diamond, and other valuable materials, though rusted beyond past and cracked, decorated the otherwise ruined castle. 

There was no time to waste. He waited too long for for the meeting between him and Ambree planned. They treaded up the stairs, into the castle, passed by many rooms and doors, before finally he reached the throne, the main room, of the castle of Gyges.

As like the buildings, the throne was rusted and with dust settling into every nook and cranny of the seat. But he didn’t care. He took the seat that was facing towards the entrance, and looked at Ambree.

Ambree stood, awaiting for what he had to say, and he did. “Ambree. Have you ever considered how much I appreciate you and your service?”

The sudden question/compliment would’ve caught most people off guard, leaving them confused and happy and touched for it, but he created Ambree. She gave no indication or any emotion on her face as to how she felt. Her face was entirely blank as her tone. “I serve you, milord. You have done nothing but service to me by allowing me to serve you.”

“You have commanded an entire brigade of your soldiers, ordering them. By this, you won many battles, scoring victories against Valla, your former home and the kingdom. Both Cadros and my kingdom.” The room suddenly darkened. The presence changed. His tone changed to that of glee and joy, a sickening smile formed on his face.

She nodded, confirming.

If someone were to hear this now, they would feel a chill; a dread sense and feeling of fear, their hearts would stop in their chests, and they would stare at him in horror. What was he talking about? Why was he smiling? Was he enjoying this? Since she was made by him, did that mean he ordered her to attack Valla?! But it was Cadros’s kingdom, and he was Cadros’s closest friend! Was he the one that murdered or attacked all the people of Valla? He never mentioned them after talking about Cadros. 

He continued with slight pause, but perverse glee was formed in him. “I have destroyed the kingdom. Both Cadros’s and my kingdom. Your home.” 

“Yes milord.”

“And you’ve helped hunt down the escaping denizens, the cowards and traitors. Made them all under my rule.”

“Yes.”

“They all suffered an agonizing death for in part of their betrayal. And I revived them; rebuilt them in my own image.” 

“That is correct. They were wrong to betray you. To use your trust by King Cadros and then stabbing you in the back.”

He stares. “Then after all this time. Since I lasted came and visited. Do pray tell me, Ambree...” His words tighten only ever so slightly. A rushing wind by a broken window, bits of glass, came rushing in, whipping at their clothes, before the wind settles. 

“Where is my son and daughter?” 

She looks blankly. “Pardon, milord?”

He growls, glaring. His anger was there. Yes. But not growing yet. It soon will be. For now, it was constant, like a steady stream. “Not all of the inhabitants were killed. Some have escaped their fit punishment for betrayal. A queen of the kingdom escaped. Her name is Mikoto. She has left along with my son, Kamui, and my daughter, Corrin. Have any of your soldiers located them since I was gone? Or has there been any word or sight of where they are residing at currently, if not found?” He reminds her. He knew that his son and daughters birth was kept and sworn to secrecy by only a few people, like Mikoto, but it still annoys and angers him regardless.

His reason for the secret, however, is entirely his own. But as of a while ago, he only told Ambree about his children. 

Ambree sounds apologetic. Or as much as apologetic as she could sound with her monotone voice and dead stare. He created her, but there was flaws in the mind of his creation, such as forgetting topics. Oh well. He was well aware that they were limited in thinking, which he purposely made. Anyway, she speaks, “Apologies, milord. I have received word from my soldiers that I believe where they may be residing currently, or at some point in the past, is a town located northwest of the Izumo and Mokushu nation. I believe that they are heading up further east to reach the kingdom of Hoshido, if they have not reached and residing there already.”

He pauses, thinking over her words. There was minimal time and as of right now, he was busy with multiple demanding tasks. Kamui and Corrin, his children, his legacy, would have to wait, it seems. He could not claim his children as of right now. It wasn’t because of the landscape of Hoshido being unknown to him. (He studied the area and its geography as much as the other kingdom, Nohr after Cadros’s death by sending our scouts to study the landscape. Hoshido was known for its vast area, much larger than Valla-not as much as its rival country, Nohr, but still impressive nonetheless-and having an abundance of resource in a stark contrast to Nohr’s poor geographical landscape and resources.) It was because the soldiers, his army, were too weak as of right now to fight against the Hoshido kingdom. Not to mention he didn’t want to waste any resources he amassed over the years. For every soldier struck down, he could take their bodies and rebuild them again, making them undead in a sense. But it took too much energy from him. The magic-pure magic-it required took much from him and he was only able to revive a thousand at a time. He would need to recover, despite his seemingly draconic blood. He easily conquered Valla, but could not do so against Hoshido. Their army was much bigger than Valla, which was another reason why he couldn’t. His desire to see the deaths of those inhabitants would have to wait as well. Preparation was the key here.

But first he would validate this claim, to see if his son and daughter were truly in Hoshidian territory and that his children were what they looked like. 

“Have you any proof of this?”

A nod. “I led your army and forced of the inhabitants to tell of your children, what they look like. From what I was told, they said there wasn’t any children with white hair currently living in the town. But...”

“But what?”

“The owner of the inn in the town have told me as I extracted information from him there were no other inhabitants that checked into the inn that day but three. They wore long robes and clothes, he recalls, as if they did not want to be seen by any. But as they were heading up to their room, he could’ve sworn he saw one of the child of the two with strands of white hair showing out through the long clothes. They only checked in for a single day before leaving.”

He raps a finger against the weathered armrest of the throne. “Did you deal with the inhabitants of the town afterward?”

“Yes milord.”

—————————————————

“Thank you.” She releases her hold on the man’s head, throwing him roughly to the ground. Screams sounded throughout the town as the nearly unconscious man hit the earth, a pained moan escaped from the man’s lips.

A man stepped forward, glared up at her, shaking fearfully. “Enough! We have told you where you want those people! Leave us be! W-who do you think you are?! You people are monsters! Attacking our town for no valid reason!” Behind the man, adults, both old and young shouted the same or similar words. Their chants of anger combined into one. But their fear was palpable. Their eyes shown with rage and that same fear. 

Children were hiding fearfully in alleyways and inside their homes, peeking out with a small childish curiosity.

The man who stepped forward asked again. “Are you from Nohr? If so, then you are a coward! Hiding behind and working for that bastard king!” 

She pauses, before placing a hand over her face. Grabbing a hold of the mask, she takes the offending face wear off, and many of the crowd of people flinched, horrified and shocked. Gasps and squeals from children and adults sounded out as they looked at her face. She had no mask on, and thus it left anybody free to look at her face. Black markings from her pale chalky white skin swirled all around, intricate designs crafted with care. Shoulder length black ashen hair blew slightly in the direction of the wind that passed by the town. Red dead cold eyes stared at the people of the town. A long jagged scar ran across her forehead. There was one that stood out however.

On her right cheek was an intricate design. From near her eye, there was a head of a lizard. No. It looked like a dragon. Looking closer, the townspeople realized it was a dragon. Going slowly down and near her nose and mouth were two arms, clawed hands extended outward. Going down more to near her chin and disappearing into her covered neck was the stomach, rump, and tail. 

She spoke slowly, like a chant, speech, and poem, in response to the townspeople. She gave their insults and cries no thought, like it was something that didn’t matter to be said, because it was unnecessary to think even for a moment about.

“He is who will rise. He is the one betrayed. He is the one who will rightfully cleanse this world. He is the one rule over every being.” She turned to her soldiers on standby, watching the situation without care or thought and gave the signal.

The townspeople only had a second to register her words before they heard a thunking noise. A squelching noise, like foot being stepped into mud, sending the brown waste water everywhere. Every face: young and old. Elderly, adults, children. All the people stared, turning in shock in horror as an object sped past-a whizzing sound of air being sliced-before it it embedded itself into the man’s neck.

The same man who spoke earlier.

The look of horror and shock intensified as the crowd watches the man gurgle, red thick crimson spraying out of the man’s pierced neck as he chokes on his own lifeblood. The object revealed by its sharp triangular tip connected to a small wooden stick, covered and coated with the man’s blood. Bits of skin were stuck to the tip. This was an arrow. And the people of the town saw the soldier who fired it, the being who held the bow, releasing the notch on the string.

All hell broke loose.

The crowd of the town people now nothing more than prey running from their predator, trampled over each other and knocking objects out of the way to escape from them. The soldiers rushed forward the same direction, with Ambree’s orders, into the panicking mess of a crowd. Screams and cries-pleads of mercy-ran throughout the once peaceful town as the soldiers speared, thrusted, and cut through the people. Arrows whizzing by, shooting down any stragglers as they attempted to escape. 

Those who were hiding in their homes weren’t safe from this either. Soldiers barged through doors, kicking down the offending wooden objects. From one, a mother and her daughter. From another, a man, his wife, and his two children. Various families who were trying to hide in their homes, praying that this was a nightmare, trying their best to ignore the crying screams. Children from those families were crying, burying their faces into their parents. Parents who covered their loved ones mouths, hoping that being silent will keep them safe.

But wasn’t a nightmare. It was one that came true. Soldiers violently barged in with a blank dead stare on their cold merciless face, walked towards the crying, begging, pleading, and screaming families as they their weapons:swords, axes, and lances; ancient weapons, coated with blood of the outside already, raised to kill... 

That day, the town was coated entirely red with the blood of its people. 

————————————————

Good. He was satisfied. The disappointment of not having his children was gone for the time being. Though not in his grasp, he could manage. Hearing the inhabitants of the town butchered like pigs and rid off also made him in a much jovial mood. “Excellent.” He then thinks. There shouldn’t be anything else left to say, right? He goes through his head, filing away information he already knows and then there is one question he longed to ask ever since the last meeting but forgotten that time, so he asks the question now. “Where is Queen Arete and her daughter Azura?” He needed to know where the princess and her mother, the queen, was now. Not asking for the last time made him anxious and furious so he needed to know where she was. His anger returned. The volcano was bubbling, growing higher and higher. It was not bursting yet however. “The last time you told me, Arete escaped towards the kingdom of Nohr with her daughter. Did you capture and kill them? Your soldiers had them, from what I’m assuming so far. I know for a fact that Nohr has a poor geographical landscape, so it should be no difficult task.” 

“No milord.”

For a moment, there was only silence. A pregnant pause. Then he hisses. “Then where are they? Did you let them escape?”

Ambree didn’t sense the rising anger that was building up from within him nor did she notice the faint purple mist coming from him. “Forgive me milord. We did indeed capture them. However, our soldiers were ambushed before we could execute them. The remaining soldiers; those that still lived, attacked our soldiers, giving them ample time to escape.”

His hands clenched into fists. “And? You recaptured them?” He didn’t want to hear it, but he didn’t signal to stop. The volcano was nearing halfway to the top, still bubbling. The purple mist surrounding him whipped up faster and faster, covering his lower body.

“After dealing with the Valla soldiers, our remaining set out to recapture the Queen and princess but they were already gone. Soldiers searched within fifty miles in a perimeter to see where they were hiding, but they found nothing. I’m sorry milo-”

A loud popping, followed by multiple snaps, sounded. Before Ambree could even blink, she was sent flying off her feet into the wall. She slams violently against the wall, the force of it bounces her off, leaving her about to fall, before she was grabbed a hold of and slammed into the wall again. 

A gurgling sound escaped from her throat painfully. Like a baby trying to form words, she gurgles out random incoherent sounds. 

He looks down at her, utterly furious. The volcano has exploded, sending chunks of heated rock, materials and lava. Like an eruption springing forth. There were no other word to describe what he was feeling right now, except furious. It was the perfect word to describe his feeling.

But his face! Oh! It was like looking into a monster! The face of it was a thing from nightmares. Not just a regular thing from young children’s mind when they’re sleeping. This was something far worse. If the boogeymen, a forest creature that is nothing more than a tale, myth, and legend, was some creature from the forest then “he” was the definition of something from hell. Satan’s creation. Crafted from his perverted desires. Formed from his sick twisted mind.

What Ambree was staring at however, at his face, was truly disgusting. One eye. One large bulbous gold colored slitted eye was staring at her, outlined by red. His neck was elongated, growing several inches and akin to a giraffe, towering above her. A deep black was the color of the neck, which used to be a pale white. Scaly rough skin replaced the skin on his face, and scales formed on the top of his head down to the back of his neck and to the front and sides, nearly covering every inch, with that same disgusting black color. And eyes. If the bulbous large one that covered the face wasn’t a nightmarish hell, small numerous eyes covered his neck, making the sight even more disturbing, staring into Ambree as the large one did.

She looks down from the nightmare to see his hand, which was no longer even a hand anymore. From the elbow down, the arm transformed, morphing. Where his hand used to be was a spear. No, not a spear, but something that looked very akin to it. It digs deep and painfully into Ambree’s gut. The “spear” formed from his arm to his elbow was connected. He was holding her with his left, his right formed that very same spear like appendage raised above, ready to cut her into pieces. There was no mouth on his face; the bulbous eye nearly covered the entire face, yet he still spoke.

“YOU STUPID, FUCKING, LITTLE BITCH! YOU FUCKING WHORE! YOU AND YOUR STUPID SOLDIERS IDIOCY HAVE GOTTEN AND ALLOWED THAT FUCKING QUEEN AND HER LITTLE SLUT SPAWN TO ESCAPE. ” He glares, his eyes filled with murder. And in that very moment, the look in his eyes were what he wanted to do with her. His rage was ten fold. The volcano still spewed hell. He wanted to kill her. Stupid little bitch! He continues to scream. “NOW I CAN’T KILL ARETE AND HER SPAWN! NOW I HAVE TO WAIT! 

This was the nightmare. From any monsters that children have heard, by bedtimes stories or tales in order to keep children from being too rebellious, or even when Halloween rolled around in October; parents warning children that if they did something bad, then the monster from the stories will come for them, as a caution, to keep them in order; to nightmares that inexplicably formed when sleeping, none of the children would have ever considered the possibility of him, Satan’s pet. As he screamed, an earthquake that nearly shook the castle they were in and the ground was nearly torn apart, as if a crack would form from the ground and mountain beneath the castle and the castle would fall into the earth and stone covered abyss. Purple mist sprung and enveloped all around from his body like a poison gas.. All caused by his rage.

But as he stares murder and rage into her eyes for a while, he couldn’t. Screaming curses at her would not help in this situation right now. Nor would even killing. No. She was still of use to him. He didn’t want to kill her. Suddenly the volcano stopped erupting. No. It was still spewing out hellish chunks but it was down to a steady stream. The earthquake that was beneath their feet calmed. But The rage and anger was still there, though murder was hidden and cast away for the time being. 

Channeling power into his left appendage, it begins to twist and form. The sharpened tip that was in Ambree’s stomach too begins to form and morph, as it crushes and tears away at her gut. He smiled as black reddish colored blood spurted out of the deep wound-courtesy of his magic- like a fountain. A pained silent gasp emitted from Ambree’s throat. And he spoke softly, the glare he gave her didn’t hide any amount of the anger even when it was in a stream, coating his face, body, and clothes. He ignored it.

“Ambree. Ambree. Ambree... You have failed me. You have served in destroying Valla with success, with flying colors. I can easily forgive you for failing to receive my children. But failing to execute the queen and her spawn?” He leans closer, slight tremor in his dangerous tone. “You know I do not tolerate failure a single bit in any part. Because you know what failure means.”

He pauses before continuing, not allowing her to respond. “Failure represents the weak. Failure represents how much someone unable to pass a task required of them, because they couldn’t be bothered to try, or no matter how simple it was. Failure represents every single thing, down to the smallest, showing your weakness and what you never could be.

That is what failure is. I do not tolerate it. It is for the weak and the pathetic. That’s what the people of Valla were. Your people were.” He twists his left limb into her until he’s satisfied. With a grunt, he channels power into his left limb. A soft squelch can be heard until he removes his bloodied limb from her stomach. The earthquake ended, and the purple mist dissipated. She nearly drops herself to the ground just barely landing in a bowed position, looking up at him. A servant to master. 

Ambree clutches the gaping wound in her stomach, trying to stem the flow of blood. The blood, soaking through the gaps through her hand, forming a puddle on the floor. She looks up to her lord. He looks down briefly at her stomach. It was a disgusting mess that still continued to form. He was both satisfied and disappointed.

She was so damn lucky that he didn’t force his limb through her gut and just burrowed his way towards, purposely missing her vitals. Otherwise, he would have spilled all the contents her stomach out, ripping them from the inside out. Instead, he just dug deep until his limb hit something hard and sharp; her ribs, and slowly took it out. 

Suddenly, he spoke casually, as if about the weather and as if his rage hasn’t happened at all. Out of nowhere, his tone changed to one of anger and rage to that of a casual and neutral tone. “Get up, Ambree. I said I do not tolerate weakness. You are showing that right now.”

Ambree, painfully and somewhat slowly, managed to rise. More blood splashes. Upon seeing this, one would even wonder how could she with a hole in her stomach. But despite every logical saying, she does. 

He turns away, walking from the bloody mess. He looks out of one of the windows that was situated near the throne. He looks outside; the sky still adorned and decorated with earth and stone, which were of course, still floating. 

Ambree limps slowly towards him, looking up. Her face was as neutral as ever, not showing any emotion.

Speaking, out of nowhere; suddenly. “Have you ever heard the Prophecy of the Twins of Fates? Ambree?”

Ambree pauses in her slow pacing, looking at him.

“Well?”

She hesitates, thinking, before saying, “It’s an old Valla tale. A story made by King Cadros of Valla, soon after him and milord made it and molded it.”

He nods, still looking out the window. “Do you know how it goes?”

Once again, he doesn’t allow her to speak. Or she allowed him to continue. It doesn’t matter.

He intones the tale. “The prophecy, from word; by Cadros, goes as follows: In the darkest hour, in the dying light of our country and others, in when all has given up hope, in greatest despair: two siblings-a brother and a sister-will be born from our kingdom-of the same date, of similar time. And they shall be known as the Twins of Fate. Forging a path that becomes of their own and with each other, they will fight against the darkness that threatens to consume their home. They will save and bring peace and balance to their home.”

He looks away from the window and to the empty and unoccupied throne. “Foolish, wouldn’t you say? That Cadros has decided to create such a foolish story and tale for children. Cadros always foolishly announced this poetic tale to his kingdom. It was a fatal flaw of him. Always speaking what he did not know.” He swiftly turns to Ambree. “Your thoughts?”

“On the story tale, milord?”

A nod.

“Well..” She says. “I do not believe in such a thing, milord.”

He was curious. “Oh? Do explain why?”

“It’s a tale, milord. King Cadros made it up, as you said. And I do not put much faith in prophecies in anyway. Making your own path? It is something that every living being does.”

A satisfied nod. “Good. Of course you know this.”

Ambree shifts slightly. “If I may ask this request, milord...”

He swept a hand. “Given.” 

“Why are you asking me of this? Do you... do you think...” A pause. “That your children are what the prophecy is speaking of... is your children? I do not think so milord.”

From the doubtful tones in Ambree’s neutral voice, it was clear that she didn’t believe in this prophecy. He thought. Well. Of course she didn’t. He didn’t believe in it much either. 

He doesn’t say anything for a while, so Ambree took that as a sign to continue. “There are many siblings born in Valla that were twins-brother and sister. Most were just common people, nothing particularly special about them or even joined the army of Valla. Either were born of the same date but slightly off times-one slightly older than the other. One could say they were the prophecy and no one would believe that person, much less consider their words. 

That this is the reason why I do not believe in your children being this “Twins of Fate”. King Cadros made that tale up, as you said.”

Silence. For a while. Then he says, “Would you like to hear another prophetic tale, Ambree?”

She shifts slightly. “May I ask why milord?”

“The tale of this, though this sounds more of a legend or story, intrigued me very much. If you don’t want to hear...”

She shakes her head slightly. “I will milord. It is an honor to.”

“There is another prophecy I haven’t told you about yet. It didn’t originate entirely in Valla, nor did Cadros created it. It came from a land and place not from here. It was not Hoshido. It was not Nohr either.” He frowns. “I cannot ascertain where did this tale originate from. Perhaps it will come to me later...” He returns to the subject. “But I do remember how it goes: At the height and fall of an empire, there shall be two siblings born-a brother and a sister-from the empire. Free from all chains that binds these two and the path they freely choose, they shall rise from their birthright and and which they were raised in and ascend to the ultimate peak of ancient power-which they were given-where they were born in. Through their victory and ascent, they shall destroy their own birthright through conquest where they were raised. Under their names and rule, they shall rein and expand their empire to different lands until the last sun shines no more. This is the Prophecy of the Rule of Two.”

He walks to the throne and sits down on it, sighing. “Of course, this is a tale. Nothing more to believe at all than a myth.” He glances. “Your thoughts on it?”

Ambree stares at her lord. She heard the sigh obviously. “You believe in this tale, milord?”

He nods. He already knows what she’s thinking, how could he even put much faith into something that stupid and foolish. A tale. “Foolish belief. Yes I know.” A wry smile appears on his face. “But just imagine. Take a moment to think: Two siblings; those very two, who has freed themselves from all restrictions reaching their peak, their potential fulfilled. Perfect destiny. Fit to rule over. Imagine it...”

Suddenly, realization, the act of discovering something that is startling or shocking washes over him. It slams into him full force, leaving him breathless. With it, the words, only few, come spilling out of his mouth.

And it’s all for my children.”

Ambree looks at him and stands up. “Milord?”

But he’s not listening. He gets up from the weathered throne and walks out. Ambree watches him leave; a look of questioning but he pays her no heed. He walks past her without a word. He passes many rooms: dusty, dark, old, and drab; Uncaring of the remains of the objects in them. He walks down the many hallways of the broken castle until he reaches it. 

The destination where he reaches was a large balcony. Overlooking down the mountains and cliffs and the rest of the blackened land and buildings below, he stares out, smiling. Like with most balconies, a fence like structure prevented one from falling off and over if that person were to come too close near the edge of the balcony. A wonderful sight. And this was where they were meant to rule. His children. Elation and happiness explodes from him. The volcano of anger and rage was replaced entirely by those two positive emotions:

“MY CHILDREN! MEANT TO RULE OVER VALLA! THIS IS THEIR BIRTHPLACE! THIS IS WHERE THEY SHALL RULE OVER! THE PROPHECY OF THE RULE OF TWO! KAMUI AND CORRIN! THEY ARE WHAT THE DAMNABLE PROPHECY WAS SPEAKING OF; RISE AND FALL OF AN EMPIRE, REFERRING TO! THIS NOT A TALE! THIS IS TRUE! MY CHILDREN, PROPHESIED TO RULE OVER AND CONQUER. EXPAND!”

Laughter erupts from the balcony. Pure laughter. As if he found a joke funny that someone told him. It goes on for a while; the volcano still continues to erupt in giant spurts, spewing out its chunks. The earthquake tremors nearly tore and shook the ground apart. A crazed expression on his face. This was a madman, who delved too deep into happiness. 

Until he finally stops, the smile still prevalent on his face.

“How could I have not seen this earlier? How could I have not connected the dots? It fits. Everything...” A throaty chuckle escapes his mouth.

Behind him, from the entrance and exit from the castle to balcony, Ambree watched him. 

Finally, the volcano ended, the earthquake stilled. He turned back to the entrance

“Ambree.” 

“Yes, milord?”

“Send the word to the army. Now. They are heading out to the land and beyond the border of The Bottomless Canyon and into Hoshidian and Nohrian territory. Before they leave, give them those orders. They are also to reside nearing the edge of the Canyon until I give the order for them to come back or otherwise I say.”

She tilts her head in a nod. “The entire army or...”

He grunts, glancing down at her stomach; the wound almost entirely healed. A wondrous effect of his creation’s magic. “Only a few.”

She begins to walk away to fulfill this request until she pauses and looks back at him. 

He growls at her. “The rest of my plan will be later explained. Now go.”

Ambree nods and departs, walking back into the castle and out of it back to the entrance to which they entered in, and all the way down the stairs.

He watches in the distance, looking over the dead buildings and trees, the remains of grass. 

They will come, he thinks. Because he was their father. His children deserve everything and more. It was their birthright to rule over this kingdom. Their destiny by the prophecy of the Rule of Two. This was their fate. Their destiny. Their predestined path.

They will come, and if they don’t, he’ll take them by force. No one would stop him. Not anybody. Not Mikoto. And certainly not Arete or her daughter Azura.

His gaze turns upward at the purple black sky. His thoughts turn to the kingdoms of Hoshido and Nohr while staring at the sky. 

They will fall. Hoshido and Nohr will suffer. He would make sure that each living person there. He didn’t care who they were. Children, adults, elderly, he did not give a thought to. They would be tortured slowly and painfully. He wanted nothing more than to hear the screams and begs and pleads for mercy rain on over the two kingdoms. He wouldn’t give any of them death until he was satisfied with their condition. Arete and her daughter especially. They were a crux to his plans and he had no doubt they would ruin it. His smile, which was on his face for a while now, turned twisted, holding many horrors and horrible actions waiting to be unleashed.

He would make them beg for death the longest. 

Then after the kingdoms were gone, after they were nothing more than ashes and ruins; just as he done to Valla, it’s army his army, his children will join him in his rule. They will help him expand Valla, conquering and eliminating those that would threaten his rule. 

This was what he was always meant to rule over, with his children by his side. 

After all, fate ordained it. And fate did not deny what he deserved.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah. So that was the prologue. That took me a couple of weeks to write down. Yeesh. And by the way, school-or rather, college- started for me last week so that was fun. Was hoping to get this out before school but then nope. My lazy ass and procrastination of this story, added with bits of writers block and doses of homework, prevented me from getting this out to you guys. So I got this out after the first week of college. Sorry.
> 
> Thoughts so far? Comment them down below.
> 
> Also, just before I close this off, I would like to clarify that the prophecy that was spoken of in this chapter is inspired and taken from the Chosen One prophecy and the Prophecy of the Sith'ari from Star Wars, just for those that did not know. Some of the lines from the Star Wars Chosen One and Sith'ari prophecy were also taken for this story's prophecy of the Twins of Fate and The Rule of Two (which the name of latter is also a code the Sith follow in the Star Wars universe. The Rule of Two from Star Wars, or rather: the name, is where I got the title for the Rule of Two prophecy in this story.) Main reason I did this was always because while watching a playthrough of revelations and hearing of Corrin's legendary weapon, Yato, and how the Yato chose Corrin as the one fit to wield it, it made me think that Corrin was always connected to a prophecy of some sorts. Then I was thinking of Star Wars and its prophecies and thought a prophecy foretold before fates could really fit into this retelling of it with the revelations path. You can read about the Star Wars prophecies and where I got inspiration from them in wookiepedia, the official Star Wars wiki. Links:  
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Chosen_One  
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sith%27ari
> 
> Also, Ambree is an OC I created. She will only appear in this prologue so far and won't appear in any more chapters as of anytime soon. Her role as of right now is limited. For those wondering about her name and why I chose it, it means "A servant to Allah who is the all mighty and all knowing." She is a servant to him, which she considers him all knowing and mighty.
> 
> Anyway. I will see you guys next chapter. Til then.


	2. Chapter 1 (part 1)

Hoshido was-simply put-a vast gigantic kingdom-spawning over the east. Massive gates-impressive as the kingdom itself-met travellers at the entrance of it, be it either entering, or if they were in the inside the magnificent country already: exiting, along with two gates men and a gaggle of guards standing and situated at top of the gates-per orders. Guards and gates men situated both at the top and with numerous at the bottom were ordered to the gate to control and monitor the process of people entering and exiting through the gates. Because of this continuous daily process, it made for a steady influx of people entering and exiting that would otherwise spiral into a mess if no one was there to monitor.

The walls connected to the massive gates and spread across and around, holding the many denizens and buildings of the country within. The walls formed a circular, oval shaped perimeter around the country and its people, blanketing them with its protective grasp.

And, amongst it all, sakura trees decorated and accentuated the area. Around and inside Hoshido, the trees grew and matured; pink petals covered and hung from the many branches of the trees. They snipped off the branches by the force of wind, blowing them and traveling into the land across and around. This was the mainstay of the kingdom, the country at large, the lands across and across and reaching into the end of a cliff and stopping just at the expanse of the ocean below. A covey of birds hidden in the trees popped out; they chittered and flapped their wings, moving from a tree to the next or flying into and away from the kingdom.

In all, Hoshido was a beautiful kingdom.

Of course, that was to be expected of a country, but Hoshido always seemed to, for a reason unknown, attract various sorts from the towns that were near the kingdom. This doesn't seem to take away the beauty of the kingdom it maintained. Rather, it further enhanced the beauty.

Today in the kingdom of Hoshido was just like any other day. Various people: merchants, traders, and those that just simply visiting the kingdom were entering. Gates men and guards-men and women: covered in armor-steel. The smooth yet rock hard material crafted and from head to toe that was also somewhat bulky. It protected its bearer from any harm. Assignment to this position by per commander's-of the Hoshidian Royal Army-orders left the guards feeling dissatisfied and bored because of how simple the job was. Nothing entertaining really happening or occurring. To help pass the time from the otherwise entirely boring position, they chatted with each other about various topics or played games-entertainment. The gates men who controlled the gates for it to close and open were also chatting away from their assigned position to the guards nearby. Since there were people coming in, they left the massive doors open; there was really no reason to close them since people were entering and exiting.

Standing, situated near the bottom was one of the guards. He had brown, auburn hair, smooth and ran down to his shoulders, tuffs of his hair hidden underneath the helmet he wore. He also donned the usual armor of Hoshido, inscribed on his right breast was the Hoshido emblem. He held a lance up, the sharp steel tip pointing up towards the sky, letting the butt and flat end of his sharp-tipped weapon lie with its rear end planted firmly on the earth. The auburn-haired man gave out a soft sigh of frustration. Really, he didn't know why he agreed to this position. There was nothing to do. He didn't realize how boring the position assigned to him could be.

He looks up towards the sky, to which the tall trees stood tall and erect, planted permanently in the earth beneath them, blocking out most of the suns harsh rays that would blind any person looking directly into them, so those wouldn't have to raise a hand as a shield of some sort over their eyes to prevent the rays from blinding them.

Still, he glances at the blue sky, with the sun peeking out from the wool clouds. He did this often, especially when he was much younger. The discontent was of his situation made him no longer focused on his position and distracted him entirely from it.

"Hey! Rudo!"

The man snaps out of his daydream, looking up and behind towards the sound and owner of the voice.

"If you're done fantasizing about the ass of your wife, then hurry up! Your job is in front of you, not in the skies."

The man, "Rudo", as he was called, looked up at the voice above, standing at top of the entrance along with a few others. The owner of the voice gave a laugh, and so did the others, joining in on the infectious commotion that spread like a wave.

His face reddened with embarrassment and humiliation. Of course, his distracted thoughts would lead him into some sort of humiliating situation. He looked to the right of him, towards the long line of people and the companions from their group, also noticing and chuckling at the sight. The guard next to him, a female soldier, (what was her name? He couldn't remember. Perhaps he would ask her later), scanned the parchment of paper quickly and then nodded, handing back the slightly crumpled piece and gestured, letting the man pass through.

Rudo looks back to the procession of people waiting to enter. The first one in his was a merchant and fisherman. Both wore crisp clothing and the latter wheeled a cart full of fish. A few still alive, flopping around aimlessly, their doll-like eyes staring into the blue and white cotton abyss of the sky and its clouds.

He takes the parchment from the duo, and like his companions at the bottom scans thoroughly at the paper. His eyes went through scrawled words and then he hands it back, allowing them to pass.

This was always the process every day for entering Hoshido. From any person living a town, not within the Hoshidian radius, or those living in such as the Mokushu nation south from the kingdom, a piece of paper must be signed with the intention of entering written on the paper. Hoshido, despite the relative peace it maintained throughout and was well known for being peaceful, still had parts of its army in the form of guards and gates keeper, maintaining and controlling the process of entering and leaving.

Rudo himself was just about twenty one when he entered the army. As a new fresh recruit and trainee of the army, he began about a week ago. And seemingly he was assigned the most boring position ever. Granted, it wasn't the most entertaining. Well, almost. The guards up top the gate didn't need to do any of the work he and a select few others were assigned. They just stood up on the gate of the kingdom, chatting and playing games,

Rudo gestures the next person in line. Maybe after he was done for this week, since it was just Friday today, in the next two days, he could ask for a more "entertaining position". In his opinion, he should not have been assigned to this position but was forced and commanded to.

Time passes by as he and the other guards continue to let the group in, thinning the line faster and faster. Rudo looks over and ahead; it seems it's almost over. Just a few more to let in and they were done for the day. He glances up behind at the guard who embarrassed him earlier-a name also unknown to him- and a moment of realization hits; while the guards to the bottom assigned to control the entering and exiting, the guards atop were assigned to prevent any person to enter in for the rest of the day. A devilish grin that couldn't help but form on his face as he thinks. Maybe he could get that guard back in some way. Oh, he'll pay for embarrassing him! Payback and sweet revenge for that moment of chagrin! He'll have a taste of karma! But for now, he'll just finish his work.

He takes the next piece of paper from a merchant and his wife. Scans it, and then returns it, nodding his confirmation and assent of entering. The couple leaves into the kingdom, a verb that did not fit within the context of the noun.

"Sorry. Excuse me!"

Rudo perks up. Did he just hear something? He swore he could've heard something. He wasn't a damn Kitsune, with from their tribes having enhanced senses; he read a book on them and thinks the enhanced senses formed entirely on their strange features, but he was still human; so was everyone else here, and humans still had their impressive five senses as many.. He asks the female guard near him. "Did you hear that?"

She shakes her head. "Hear what? Besides the laughter and talking from those lazy bozos up there?"

Rudo frowns. Strange, he swore he could've heard something. Then he hears her backhanded comment and laughs. He couldn't help it. She too realized the whole boredom of the position and how the guards were up on the gate were nothing but a lazy bunch. Her lips turn upward into a grin and she could barely hold back her own laughter.

"Move! Please! This is an emergency! I know that you're trying to enter right now! What I have is an emergency of importance, directed to the King itself, so please move aside! I'm sorry, but this takes priority and it's only for a short while. I must get to the front!" There was shouting now. Both by the single shout and now by the remaining crowd of people that did not enter the kingdom yet.

Rudo frowns. Did he just hear his name? The female guard frowns too. She heard the noise clearly now. Amongst the commotion, was there a fight? No. That couldn't be. The process-while long and otherwise boring task for the guards-clearly was successful and there was rarely any problem. Most of the process of entering and exiting was relatively in peace and no problems at all.

There were a few grunts, and the sound of shoving and pushing, and the cries of "Hey!", until a man pops out of the front, cutting his way through the crowd and into the front. The man, clothed entirely and encased in armor like Rudo and the rest of the guards. A sword was strapped to his back-steel-and it pointed southeast to the floor as the man bent over and breathed to regain his breath.

The man panted, looking up at Rudo and the female, gasping out words. "Thank the Dawn Dragon! For its sake, you would think people would move and how something is more important and of "importance" when you tell them so, but instead, they complain and don't move!"

Rudo stares at the man, slightly befuddled. "Lelas?"

The female also stared, her face the same mask of confusion as Rudo.

"Lelas" gave a small grin, his breathing pressed ragged and returning to normal, chest no longer heaving. "Hello, Rudo."

Rudo blinks, staring at the tired man standing before him. He knew Lelas. Lelas was a recruit like him. A new soldier ripely picked but unlike Rudo, he started about three weeks ago, his was just about his position-as Lelas told him-was a guard here first and then into the army itself. His personality was that of one of a solider-one he got to knew later by affiliating himself with him-loyal, determined, and always obeying commands of his superiors. A book by the rules kind of person. A person that did what was required of them first and not as carefree or laid back, taking a job asked or required of them as serious. There were other soldiers in the army who were exactly like Lelas but Rudo knew Lelas first when he conscripted and no one else. He would put Lelas first in that list of those types of people. Never the one to bend or twist rules of the sort.

He focuses back on him. Why was Lelas so tired? Did pushing all the crowd of people tire him out? He nearly giggles at the thought of the humorous notion. "What are you doing here?" Shaking his head to rid himself of the confusion, his voice becomes more clear. "You're not supposed to be here." Lelas would be in trouble if he was here. He looks up behind him to see if any on top has noticed. None so far, it seems. They were chatting and playing.

The female guard nods, her confusion drifting off. Rudo almost nearly forgot she was next to him. "He's right. What are you doing here? You're not supposed to be here. Why did you return?"

Lelas pauses in a breath, his heart skipped a beat, then he looks up at the pair, his expression losing the smile formed earlier, and in replacement, became a grave expression of no ounce of positive. He says nothing; it would be unnecessary, and take out a piece of paper the folds of the sleeves of his armor. He holds it up to the two of them, and the intention is clear as the skies.

Rudo stares at the piece of paper; it was rolled up in a shape of a scroll, the tips folded into a crease. "What this?" A grin forms. "Are you trying to enter the kingdom with a signed paper? Like all the people you cut in line?" He laughs. "What joke is this? You're in Hoshido and it's kingdom and you're trying to enter? Worse yet, you cut all these people! You know you're gonna go to the back of the line for that!"  
The female guard smiles in the joking humor. Lelas doesn't however. He doesn't join in on the teasing they gave him. He shakes his head, holding out the paper, the same grave expression he gave them intensified.

Rudo still kept the smile. Lelas didn't know a joke. He needs to lighten up a bit. No. A lot. That guy needs to know how to take a joke. Humor was a foreign concept to that man, like a person visiting Hoshido for the first time; their entire lives being spent outside the country. Maybe he should sign up with that guard on the gate up there who embarrassed him. Or better yet, spend time with someone who knows a thing or two about getting people to take a joke and laugh.

Lelas just stares, no ounce or sign of humor on his face; it tightens in urgency, as he holds out the paper to them, hissing loudly. "I'm serious! This is no laughing matter!" He looks around at the crowd, then lowers his voice to a whisper, as if he didn't want those around to hear, as if he wanted to keep. "This is directed to King Sumeragi. It contains of utmost important, signed-"

"Hey, Rudo! Talia! What the hell are you two standing around for?"

Rudo and the female-Talia-turned around to see the same guard that made fun and laughed at Rudo's embarrassing moment earlier. It appeared that he from being at the top of the gate he did not notice the commotion from the bottom; he walks up to the two, and that's when he notices the new and unexpected person in their group for the first time, his attention quickly switching to the third companion in the no longer pair. "Lelas?"

The three turn to look at the approaching guard, and he stares at Lelas, a look combining confusion and question. "What're the hell you doing here? Shouldn't you be out into with Commander Radcliffe in near the border?"

Lelas nodded at the guard's question. Commander Radcliffe was the commander of the Hoshidian Royal Army under King's orders. And Lelas himself very much knew the order given. "I was, Hiroto, until I was ordered by per commander's orders to return."

"What for?" The question Hiroto asked stood out amongst the chatter of the awaiting people and both Rudo and Talia were also interested. Why was Lelas ordered to and by to return? The question stood out in their minds as they thought what could he possibly be sent back for? Their knowledge of the commander was little but they knew that Lelas was one of the few chosen and sent out along with a few couple hundreds of troops into near the border. Rudo himself couldn't help but be a bit jealous that Lelas got a more entertaining job. Better than standing here and daydreaming.

Rudo spoke first again, the humorous grin still planted on his face, not losing a bit of the humor. "He got sent back probably to enter the kingdom like all the people out here as a joke. Look! He even has a signed paper like them."

Lelas glares, snapping. "I just told you! This is no laughing matter!" He shakes his head. He already wasted enough time chatting with that joking fool. He begins to walk away from Rudo and Talia, giving them a glare as he begins to enter inside "Forget it. I don't need your damn permission to get in. This is directed towards the king and I'm-"

Hiroto raises a hand and steps in front of the man pausing the man. "Hold on, Lelas. Hold on! What did you say? That-" He gestured to the parchment in hand. "Is it for the king?"

"Yes. I was ordered to come back by Commander Radcliffe to give this to the king. It contains vital information to him."

"Hand it here."

Ruso glances at Hiroto and the letter, back and forth, whispering to Talia. "Bet you ten coins it's a signed paper to enter in and a joke." He hopes it was. All to get back at Hiroto.

She looks at the exchange in tandem. "Bet taken. You pay if Hiroto doesn't laugh."

Hiroto takes it, ignoring the two, and unrolled the sides that were turned to be in the form of a scroll. It was sideways; he turns it face up and his eyes scan from the top to bottom, slowly reading the letter, murmuring the paper's content. He reads until his eyes widen, his skin pales, as if he has seen a ghost. What felt like minutes felt like hours as Hiroto stares at a point in the piece, eyes fixated on the part. 

Finally, he looks up at Lelas and spoke, glowering, "This ain't some twisted fucked up joke now, is it? If it is, I expected better than this." He holds out the paper back to Lelas.

Lelas shook his head, taking back the offered object. "It is not. This is no joke. That is why I was exactly sent back by Commander Radcliffe."

Rudo and Talia look at the two. The former asks, "So it's not a signed document to enter the kingdom? You said it was for the king?"

Lelas barely holds the urge back to roll his eyes. Instead, he gives a dry, pointed look at him. "I said that two times ago, and you didn't hear?"

Rudo's mouth twitched up to a smirk and a retort was forming on his lips, begging for release, until Hiroto stepped in. "Enough. Lelas. Go deliver that to King Sumeragi. It's urgent, right? So go."

He nods, "Oh right." He begins to walk off into the kingdom a coupl steps, then turns around to face the three, nodding. "I'll see you later then."

The three watches the departing soldier, then Talia turns to Hiroto. He was the one who saw the paper's contents after all. "So what was that about? Was that actually directed to King Sumeragi?"

Hiroto glances at the dot in the distance into the kingdom disappears entirely like a star in the sky in a constellation. "It was." A silence passes between them before they notice the loud chatter of the crowd demanding to be in, their presence entirely forgotten and discarded for another task until now, now that the replacing task was done.

Hiroto looks at the crowd, "Well then, back to work. Both of you. Finish here and you're done for the day."

Rudo looks to the convulsing figures as well, like a water droplet that combined formed an even larger one. "What made you boss? And speaking of, aren't you gonna tell us what that was?"

Hiroto smirks, giving him a side-glance.. "Wife's ass."

Rudo glowered, sputtering indignantly. That damn... "You-t-that isn't even related to what I just asked, you moron!"

Hiroto winked at him, waving a hand, and walked off into the kingdom and then into back into a doorway interior from the side of the gate that led to the top. It was the main way to get into the top.  
"Dumb bastard..."

Rudo hears a small giggle; his eyes snap to Talia, and she looks barely holds back her laughter. "Oh, are you thinking this is funny as well?" Damn traitor...

She shrugs, "Well, maybe you should have come up with something better instead of coming up with something short." She looks to the conglomerate of a crowd, then realized something. "Oh, and before I nearly forget, you owe me ten coins for that bet. Pay up after we're done here."

Rudo rolls his eyes, groaning slightly. Got betrayed, embarrassed, and given a boring position...

Yep. He hated his job.  
\----

Into the kingdom of Hoshido, past the overbearing, protective, tall gates, there were many buildings. Adjacent to each other and their colors consisting nothing more than a blank paper of white. Opposite and stood in contrast to a void of nothingness, the darkness of black. These were what all had in common.

However, there was one that stood above the rest. Both figuratively and literally, if someone were to witness it. It stood tall and erect and large, planted firmly underneath the earth beneath. From those on the bottom, they could see a small balcony nearing the top of the tall building that whoever stood on it, they could see everything in the vicinity of the kingdom and then some more. Added to it was a set of stairs that led to the entrance and the top of the bottom. Like all the rest, there was, of course, people chatting and walking towards and away from the building.  
From a birds eye view it seemed that there was nothing particularly of interest to look at. A large number of people walking to a destination which they desired, being unknown. The hustle and bustle, the tramp tramp tramp of their footsteps and shoes completely out of rhythm and order, meeting the pavement ground, added with the chatter of the people was infected well among the area.

None of this proved to be of interest. It was well just like any other part of Hoshido.

But if one were to think that was of the main focus, then they couldn't be even more wrong. The main focus was entirely on the large building, yes, but also figures, people, that could be seen near and from it. There were four. a closer view showed the four conversing of something. What wouldn't anybody expect how small the figures were, compared.

They were children.

The four seemed to be conversing about something. A faint cry of something from one of the four, and then suddenly, the other three dashed off in opposite directions, away from each other and the cry of the single figure. The single figure-a boy-left alone was hunched over. Waiting for about fifth or so seconds, before springing up with a shout of words. He glances around him, seemingly thinking. A moment before fixates his sight and mind made up on one single direction, then runs towards the direction.  
\-----  
Sprinting south from the single figure, one of the three sprints and dashed across, a flow of her hair-a girl-tresses of silver white and reaching down to her shoulders. She skids to a halt, a slight pain explodes in small scratches as her feet make contact and scrapes across the concrete earthy ground; she was barefoot. The pain was negligible and barely noticeable as her concentration was focused on one thing: trying to get away and hide from the single figure she and the two others left. If someone were to ask why she didn't wear shoes to prevent the pain of scraping her feet, she would say she felt more free of the restriction shoes provide, being barefoot for some inexplicable and unknown reason, gave her more freedom than footwear could not. It was her choice anyway. Her twin brother could attest to that, and for he felt the same way, for he wore no shoes either

Looking at her surroundings and taking a breath, scanning the area while she pants slightly. She looks at the foliage of trees, standing and crisscrossing to and from each other in multiple imaginable directions, that's where she could hide. He would never find her in the group of trees, the fields of grass and earth, not if she goes deep into it as far as possible.

Her feet crunch the grass below and she walks, stepping in between deep until there's barely any trees noticeable. And a clear body of a blue. A lake. It glimmers, the lake was shining on its surface. It was beautiful, and she couldn't help but approach closer to it. She was always attracted to things she seen before or never saw before.

She stares into the blue clear reflective shimmering surface, and her own image stared back at her. Her eyes were a clear ruby, filled with childish wonder and youth. Her skin was a pale milky white. Her lips were a straight small line of wonder and the same youth her eyes reflected, pink.

As she stares into the shimmering lake and beyond it, behind her and a couple of feet away, there was a figure standing. She did not notice the figure slowly begin to creep up on her...  
\-----  
The single figure stands at an intersection of roads two roads that split down from the single path he took He wonders if the other three followed each other on a single road or they split up, or perhaps only one of them took the path. All options would prove hard for him to attempt to find them, though them being split would be slightly easier since there would be fewer places for them to try to find where they were hiding.

He glances at a crisscross of trees in the middle. Maybe in there? No. Couldn't be. Not any of them would hide in there. Why would they? A moment of indecision left him standing in place, before he finally decided to turn his gaze back to the road... until he looks back into the trees.

Should he go into the road where any one of the three hiding into the alleyway, or should he risk by going into the trees and find possibly no one there. Nobody is obviously going to hide in the row of trees so why bother wasting his time on it?

In his head, thoughts of which path to choose clashes until he finally caves in. One victor of the two decided.

He sighed softly. He hoped he didn't regret this.

Looking at the crossing trees, he enters them and into the beyond.  
\-----  
It didn't take long for the figure to find one of them.

Really, it wasn't a difficult task at all. She was just standing there, looking into the lake. She didn't find a hiding spot, since she was so out in the open where if anybody else was here, they could easily find her. Wasn't she supposed to find a spot to hide? Oh well, her fault and she'll be the next one to find them. A grin grew on his face, full of mischief, as he drew closer and closer. She still didn't notice. This will be the best scare he ever pulled!

She finally turned around but it was too late. "Boo!"  
\-----  
She didn't know when but she lost interest in what she was doing earlier with the other three. It quickly became boring. Her interest turned to look at the shimmering lake. She didn't notice there was something behind her until she saw the reflection of it in the gleaming water.

She turns around quickly but it was too late. The something-person-behind her goes up to her, shouting, "Boo!"

Her reaction was instant. She jumps back, shrieking, and into the lake, drenching her and her clothes in the lake and splashing water everywhere. The lake wasn't deep, but she was a child, and children weren't known for being tall and were rather small. She was no different. Her small stature left most of her drenched in the lake water.

The water from the lake rippled as she jumped in and the sound of water splashing was only brief for a second as she then heard loud laughter. She looked up to see the figure laughing-the one where she and the two others left.

For a moment, she just sat in the lake, stunned and shocked. How did he find her? She only took a few seconds to process how then an angry scowl formed on her face.

"Kamui!"

"Kamui" laughs. He obviously found scaring her and the whole situation amusing. "Found you, Corrin!" A grin, full of smugness, set on his face, his arms crossed.

"Corrin" glared. It was, of course, her twin brother who was behind her and scared her. There was nobody else around this area, and he was smiling. He didn't deny being the perpetrator either; he obviously knew she knew it was him, and there was no reason to being so.

Kamui's features were the same as Corrin. Nobody could deny the fact they were twins. After all, twins had the same or extremely similar features, be it two brothers or sisters, or even one brother and one sister. Kamui and Corrin were no exception from this. Both had piercing ruby eyes and silver-white hair. Except Kamui's hair was shorter; it was down to the nape of his neck and was messier. Like Corrin, he was also barefoot.

However, similarities between the two didn't end there. The two also had a unique, same feature that a person could discern the two from many different other people. It wasn't just them being twins. Their clothes were also something of being the same. A white shirt over black.

No, it was much more than that. It was their ears.

Unlike other people, both had a unique feature of their ears being triangular shaped and pointed ears. It was strange, they realized that soon, that no one else had their unique ears and neither did their mother or their father.

It was indeed something unique.

"You scared me, you jerk!" Stating the obvious.

"I found you. And besides," He shrugs, not offended in a single bit by the insult. "You weren't really hiding if it's out in the open. So it's your fault for not hiding well at all. You suck at hiding!"

It was true. Corrin realized that. However, she wasn't going to give up easily on the argument."You cheated! You found me by looking!"

"What?! No!"

"Yes, you did!" Corrin thought of the only single possibility where and how Kamui could've found her. Maybe her spot wasn't the best but she knew there was only one way he could have found where exactly she went regardless of the spot being good at hiding or not. You peeked while me, Hinoka, and Takumi were hiding!"

"No, I didn't. It's that you suck at hiding!"

Now it was her turn to deny. "No!"

"Yes! This is a dumb spot to hide!" He looked around dramatically as if to prove his point.

"You cheated even if it was bad!"

"Excuse! And I didn't cheat! You can't prove it!"

Corrin was about to retort, as she unconsciously moved out of the lake and onto the flat grassland. A large wind blew over them, ruffling their hair and Corrin shivered slightly as it blew through her still dripping wet body; a chill running over and out.

"Hey! Corrin! Kamui!"

The twins turn to the sound of the voice and saw the two others that were hiding- Hinoka and Takumi running towards them.

As the two reach the twins, they turn to Corrin and were surprised at the sight of a dripping wet Corrin. Hinoka was the one to speak first. "Corrin? What happened to you? You're soaking wet!"  
Corrin whined, "Big sis Hinoka, Kamui scared me and made me jump into the lake. It's why I'm wet!"

Hinoka has been her's, Kamui's, Takumi's, and their younger sister's older sister since they were little, and the second oldest behind Ryoma. Corrin remembers Hinoka when she was barely a toddler as their age right this currently, hugging and cuddling with them. Her hair matched her eyes. Red eyes were a perfect match to her hair, which was short like Kamui. Even her outfit consisted of a short red dress, which fit well combining it all. Even with the red shoes.

Hinoka turned to Kamui and scolded her younger brother, glaring, "Kamui, that's not a nice thing to do! Why would you do that?!"

An uncaring and almost guiltless expression forms on the boy's face. "Corrin wasn't hiding!" He shakes his head, correcting himself. "I mean, she was! But this is a bad spot, and besides, I couldn't help it! She's too easy to scare!" He looks at Takumi. "She's easy to scare, right Takumi?"

Takumi was the second youngest and his hair was grey silver compared to Kamui's and Corrin's white. His hair was long and done in a short ponytail that reached his shoulders.

Takumi smirks, looking at Corrin with glee, also matching his tone. "Yep. She's easy to scare."

"See? Takumi agrees!"

Corrin looked livid. But Hinoka skewered Takumi then with her glare, silencing any further words from him. The boy looked away from her glare, before refocusing her attention at Kamui. "Kamui! Apologize to your sister this instant!"

"Why? It wasn't my fault she sucks at hiding!"

"You were being mean by scaring her! She got wet because of that! And that's not a nice thing to say if someone is not good at something!"

"Well, I'm not apologizing!"

Takumi and Corrin froze in spot and sucked in their breaths, barely holding it. Did Kamui not know not to argue back?! Did he forget the rule?! That you do not argue back to your older sister?!

Hinoka's eyes narrowed. "What?"

"I'm not apologizing. It's not my fault!" He repeated.

Apparently, he did forget if he knew not to argue back.

"It is your fault. Apologize!"

"No!"

Hinoka sighed silently and she strode up to Kamui. He gave her no choice, so she was going to punish him. He wouldn't apologize to Corrin so she had no choice but to resort to this.

Somehow the realization hit him because his eyes widened and the boy was preparing to run, but Hinoka was faster and the realization hit too late. She grabbed the boy and brought her forefinger and thumb together, pinching his right ear tightly and pulling.

Kamui cried out as his ear was sharply tugged and twisted, "Ow! Ow! Ow! Big sis! Sto-Ow!"

Hinoka kept a tight grip on her younger brother's ears. "Apologize."

"No-Ow! Stop! Please!"

"Apologize!"

"Why?" Pain blossomed from his ear again. "Ow!"

"Apologize to Corrin!"

"Ow! Ow! Alright! I'm sorry!" Kamui only said it, if to get away from Hinoka's form of punishment.

Hinoka only loosened her grip slightly, "To who?"

Kamui turns to Corrin, a look of begrudging on his face. "Fine. Sorry, Corrin."

Hinoka's lips twisted upward. "For?"

"What?! I already apologized! Why do I have to apologize for-" She tugged his ear. "Fine! I'm sorry for scaring you into the water." Kamui looks down at his feet as he mumbled the last part of the apology.

Corrin kept a neutral face that held indifference and unhappiness, though Kamui knew she was hiding a triumphant smile of victory underneath the placid look. A glance to his right and Takumi was looking away, acting as if he had no part in the situation and never agreed with him in the first place. Coward. Traitor. He agreed with him first and then he pretends to have no affiliation.

Hinoka releases her grip on Kamui and his ear and his hand go up to rub his ear.

Corrin couldn't help but let a small smirk at the sight. Serves him right for scaring her.

The pain in Kamui's ear recedes quickly away, and then the boy was wondering, "Big sis. Takumi. What are you doing here anyway? Weren't you two supposed to still be hiding until I found you? Why did you come out?"

Corrin also snapped out of her victory over her brother. "Yeah. Why are you here?"

Hinoka answers the two of them, "It's getting dark. Mother called us back for dinner. So I and Takumi went to go get the two of you."

"We gotta go now?" The twins turned their gazes upward to see the slightly darkening sky; an indication of the afternoon coming. Hide and Seek, it seems, would have to end for today. They knew their mother didn't want them out late or rather, want them near the castle if they were staying out.

Takumi grins, "Who's gonna be 'it' tomorrow?"

Kamui answers before any of his sisters, "That's easy! It's Corrin who's 'it'! I found her!"

Corrin's head snaps to her twin. "What?! No!"

"Yes! I found you!"

"By cheating! That does not mean I'm 'it'!"

"I didn't cheat! And it does mean you're 'it'"

"Yes you did cheat! And I'm not 'it'!"

"Stop! Both of you!"

The two flinch at the sudden shout from Hinoka that stopped another of their arguing, and they look at her, "Yes, Big Sis?"

Hinoka sighs, though a grin was on her face. "How about this? Forget Hide and Seek. Let's play tag. I'm 'it'."

"Big Sis, you said we have to go back now. We don't have time today. We can play tag tomorrow." Takumi was curious, then his face morphs into one of horror. "Wait..."

Hinoka's smile turned devious and sinister as she looks at her younger siblings. "I chase you home."

Takumi looks at his two older siblings, and their face mirrored his. They had lived through the experience, had a taste of its horrors. It was one of their worst nightmares, and they didn't know why Hinoka did what she did. She enjoyed it. It was something that she had done many times when they were younger...

And now, it seems that Hinoka was going to do it now.

Takumi felt his stomach drop and became void filled with emptiness. It wasn't because he was hungry. No. That had long since been replaced when Hinoka announced what she was going to do. There was no point in begging or pleading. Hinoka did what she want and none of them could stop her.

So with that in his mind, panic settling in his head, he quickly turns to Kamui and Corrin, screaming,

"Run!"

There was no plan to be made. Not with little time as this. It didn't matter anyway. The three sprint off back into the path. They shot off from their standing position, sprinting as fast as their legs could carry them, widening the gap between them and Hinoka. As they look behind them to make sure, they could see Hinoka giggling. They shrieked as Hinoka suddenly quickened her pace, closing the gap between them and forcing them to run faster to escape her.

The three sounds of shrieking and the single giggling laughter could be heard as the four ran off back into the castle, leaving the empty field and the sparkling lake behind...  
\-----  
Fear.

The word can be described by many. Every person knew fear. Every living being felt it. And yet it in itself was scary. Somebody could fear what the word was; an ironic, morbid emotion. Raw and visceral. Fear was human emotion.

Fear is like a tumor. First, it starts in the brain. Then, it spreads around all over, like a blanket. For a person, it activates a "flight or fight" response. A person could choose to respond by this, by going against or fleeing from it. Thus, the "flight or fight" response.

However, It was ingrained into every single living being's brain. From the moment they were born to the day of death. From young to old. It was inevitable and unavoidable. Fear dominated every other emotion, replacing them or working alongside them, such as anger. It's formation did also not just start in the brain but also in the pit of a stomach. It bubbles deep in the stomach, borne in. It can be seen in the eyes of the person, exposing what they feared over. A feeling of dread washes over said person. Their stomach feels empty. Fear can be caused by a multitude of reasons. It wasn't just unavoidable, it was everywhere as it was caused by anything and everything.

For Queen Mikoto, she was feeling some of that fear now. She was feeling fear for her children; her children, they had not come back yet and it was getting dark. She looks warily up to the darkening sky then down at some figures at the bottom of the stairs; guards standing by.

It hasn't spread, at least not yet. But it would soon be.

She watches as people move up and down the long set of stairs. Her eyes scan each person coming up the set of stairs, hoping to find her children among the procession. None. Her heart skipped a beat slightly and she feels that very fear spreading. She assures herself that they were coming but a small part of her tells her that they might not.

Mikoto couldn't help but feel this fear every time her children came out to play and not see them here right now when it was dark. While the fear was small, it became larger, growing and slowly morphing. She knew she shouldn't feel this way, yet she does. Even if it was small. She didn't also know when did she start feeling this.

But this wasn't fear; or rather, it was but it wasn't just only fear. It was also worry. Worry for her children.

Worry bred fear, and fear spread throughout. What becomes left of the person after fear after it consumes everything after it ate away at a being's head? It's appetite not craved and still wanting more, so it moves into the pit of the being's stomach and devours its way. What happens when fear simultaneously consumes a person's stomach and head and eyes. 

Worry and fear were a deadly combination and it gnaws in her head. Mikoto tries to hide it behind a veneer of a professional aristocratic, yet full of kindness and happiness. She greets every person walking up and into the castle with the face and words. Yet as those people walking up and greet her back, they could not see Mikoto's fear. Her weakness.

For Mikoto was a Queen. A Queen over her people of Hoshido and she did not show weakness. Or rather, they chose not to. They didn't want to see their Queen anything but.

That is why Queen Mikoto was standing currently outside the castle. She was waiting for her children, a continuous process of scanning each person walking in.

Perhaps she is worrying over nothing. Perhaps her small fear was misplaced. Maybe all four were inside earlier. They might have come back earlier. But she rebukes that statement, for if they were earlier inside then they would have came to dinner. They would have come out to find and inform her. She knows Ryoma is inside. Her eldest son was busy working with his father. But her four other children weren't. And it scares her.

Until she hears voices; shouting.

She blinks away her confusion. She swore she could've heard it.

It grows louder and louder. Could it be? Mikoto steps down halfway on the column of stairs and looks into the distance.

She saw them.

The four of them. No. Rather, three of them were running from the fourth. She could hear the giggling and laughter from the three in the front as they tried to escape the fourth. The three only managed to reach the bottom of the stairs until the fourth tackles all three to the ground.

Relief washes over her heart. Like a wave, it splashed over the small of worry and fear. It seemed that her fear and worry were misplaced. She had nothing to worry about and fear over; her children were her.

Mikoto watches as the four animatedly, or rather, the three, try to squirm away from the fourth's grasp. They were still giggling and laughing, too busy in their predicament to notice her. That is, until the four look up.

"Mother!" Four simultaneous cries and then in an instant the four were upon her.

Mikoto's smile turned joyous and she held her arms out, and bending down to their level. Kamui and Corrin barreled into her first, then Takumi. Hinoka came more reserved and less forceful, yet the hug was tight and loving all the same.

"My sweet children..." She murmurs, holding the four in her arms. They were here; they were safe. Mikoto looks the four over than gasps.

"Corrin sweetie, what happened? You're wet!"

Although Corrin's clothes have dried somewhat, there were still darkened wet spots, to which her mother obviously took notice.

"Kamui made me wet!"

"I already said sorry!" The boy pouted, sticking his tongue out at his twin. She glared at him and stuck her own tongue out in return.

"Stop. Both of you." Mikoto scolds then. She didn't want to hear them argue again. She already heard too many times they argued. She looked at Kamui, still smiling but her. "Kamui, how did you make her wet?"

Kamui shifted and swayed, looking down at his feet. "I scared her into the water from behind when she wasn't looking." Kamui didn't know why but his mother always managed to make him feel bad, even only just a little, for what he did. He knew the question wasn't accusatory or demanding. It was simple, really. Rather, it was simply to know what and why he did it, but Mikoto managed to take that most 

often and make him feel guilty for it, despite her non-intent of doing so.

"Why?"

"Well..." Kamui glances at his two other siblings; both Takumi and Hinoka, then back to her. "Because she's easy to scare! I couldn' help it! Me, Corrin, Takumi, and Bis Sis Hinoka were playing Hide and Seek and I was 'it' and I found her first on a grass field and she was looking at a lake. She wasn't paying attention or hiding or looking so I thought it was good to scare her! She jumped into the lake after!" The boy ends his explanation, now grinning proudly and free of guilt that burdened him slightly earlier.

"Besides, Takumi agrees!" He looks to his younger brother. "Right?"

"Yeah..." The younger brother replies uncertainty before he pauses to think for a moment, his face broke out into a large grin that rivaled Kamui's. "Yeah! Remember that time Corrin ran out of her's and your room because she thought she saw a moth? She ran out fast."

Unlike their other siblings, Kamui and Corrin shared a room. While their mother suggested one of them to split and take another room, they insisted to stay together. It was strange and unusual, especially since all considering that they argued and bickered a lot. But even then, it wouldn't split the Twins up. Despite all the arguments and bickering and disagreements between the brother and sister, they were still extremely close to each other.

Kamui nods, giggling. He remembered that time all too well. "And that time last week she screamed when saw a spider? It was dangling from the corner of the door? That was hilarious!"

Corrin's face was flushed red and she looked increasingly upset and embarrassed. "Momma! Big sis!" She whined.

Hinoka was about to scold both her brother's mean teasing over their sister, but Mikoto put a hand on her shoulder, shaking her head. Hinoka got the message; their mother would deal with the situation.

Mikoto turned to Kamui first, leaning towards him. "Kamui, that was still not nice. How would you feel if you were made fun of what you were scared of?"

Kamui thinks. Maybe their mother was right, but then again, it was too much fun to tease and make fun of Corrin! She was so easy to tease!

He looks with an expression that held both sheepishness and happiness. "I probably be upset too."

Mikoto nods, patting his head and then turns to Takumi. "Takumi, it's not nice either to join on making fun. Please do not again, if you know it's not nice."

"Okay." Though like Kamui, Takumi kept a grin on his face.

"Are you okay now, Corrin sweetie?"

Corrin glances at her two brothers, a glint in her eyes, and then back to her. "Yup! I'm fine now!"

Mikoto couldn't tell if the glint that occurred just that instant in Corrin's eye was her thinking of getting payback for her embarrassment or was it because she did forgive them. She just sighed, smiling. If Corrin was planning on getting Kamui back or even Takumi, then it was somewhat petty of her. But pettiness was part of being a child after all. She was a hypocrite if she ever criticized her children's fights and arguments. And often more than not, these fights and arguments bred enjoyment. She remembered her sister and herself many years ago as a child when they often fought. It wasn't as much as her children now compared to her.

Hinoka snapped their mother out of her reverie. "Mother, where's Sakura? Is she already at dinner?"

Suddenly, Mikoto gasped, her eyes widening. She abruptly stood up and turned to the gaping maw of the castle that held the interior. "Oh no! I completely forgot about her!"

In Mikoto's unwavering wait to see her children safe, she completely neglected one of them for the four, and that was Sakura. Before she entered the mouth of the castle, she quickly turned back to look at her four children, "Please go to dinner now. I'll come after I get Sakura", and then she was gone.

The four watches her departing into the further interior of the castle and taking a left. Kamui's stomach growled in that instant, his face reddened with his chagrin, and his siblings laughed, Corrin that moment was about to make a comment of Kamui being starved until so did theirs. They all eagerly entered the castle's mouth and took a straight directed to the kitchen table, hungry.

Corrin pauses in her step into the kitchen. Hinoka notices this. "Corrin? What's wrong?"

Corrin smiles. "Nothing. I just remembered I need to change clothes because I'm wet. I'll be back right after I change!"

Hinoka nods and Corrin begins to leave to her room. The table already filled with food-prepared by the cooks only a few minutes ago and was still hot and fresh-and plates and both Kamui and Takumi dug in, until two figures stepped in, one tall and hulking frame and one short, though taller than any of the four siblings in the dining room currently.

"I thought I smelled food in here." The taller one looked around and smiled, running a hand through his long spiky brown hair. "But I didn't think we'd be eating supper that early."

The four stare the sight of the two making their presence known, silence until the three rounded the table-Corrin was already near the entrance and thus was the closest to them, all attention directed and food forgotten for the time being.

"Father! Ryoma!"

King Sumeragi laughed and bent down to hug his children. Beside him, Ryoma grinned, greeting his siblings-all younger, for he was the oldest.

"You're both here!" Kamui spoke up from his hug to Sumeragi, head buried in his father's chest.

Ryoma smiled. Unlike the rest of his siblings, he shared his father's hair.

"Yeah. We just finished work just now."

After hugging, the four detached themselves from their father. Sumeragi looked around the table and the plates of food.

Corrin grins at the explanation. "That means you can play with us! You're done with work! You can play with us tomorrow!"

Both Kamui and Takumi eagerly joined in, getting to the same mindset, eager grins matching eager voices. "Yeah!"

Hinoka glances at Takumi, "Umm..."

Takumi looks back at her. "What?" Then the realization hits him and the two twins. "Aww..." The three began to whine.

Ryoma grins sheepishly and could only offer an apology that matched the tone of it, contrasting the eagerness of the three that was earlier set on their faces and replaced with unhappiness. "Sorry. I have work."

"It's not fair! You're always busy! You always have work! Why can't you play with us once!"

Ryoma could only look at them with the same look. He did want to play with them; he really did. But being the oldest required work. Their father needed him for the work he had to do.

Ryoma remembered when he stopped playing with his siblings. He remembers seeing the sad, disappointed, and bewildered looks on their faces as he told them he couldn't play with them any longer; that he had work to do. Kamui asked him if he could play after work. He remembers replying that most of the work he was doing took the entire day, if not nearly the entire day. Corrin asked if he would have any time to play with them. Ryoma hates disappointing and making them sad, but he couldn't lie either so he told them he couldn't. Takumi asks why couldn't he just ignore the work until later. Ryoma answered that he couldn't and that work took priority first. Kamui and Corrin suggested that they could help their brother with the work so they would be done more quickly, then realized that they didn't know any part of the subject about it so the topic of helping was entirely thrown out.

None of the three understood the importance, however. Hinoka did. It was probably being the second oldest in the family. But not their younger siblings, who still didn't understand the very importance of work.

Sumeragi looked around the table that was filled with food. From where Takumi sat, there was a bowl filled with miso soup. Takumi loved miso soup. There were also various other bowls and plates filled with food. A steaming bowl of soup with fish balls was near Kamui's seat and three pieces on his plate.

He realized that there was one person missing. Two, in fact. "Where are your mother and Sakura?"

"Mother went to go get her," Hinoka answered him as she went around the table to her seat.

Ryoma stared at Corrin and noticed something from his own view, "Corrin, why are you wet?"

Corrin didn't need to go into an explanation. She just simply pointed at Kamui, and Ryoma got the message clear from the simple gesture and he nodded. Kamui didn't deny being responsible; the grin on his face further proved that he was the one responsible. Kamui was usually the one, from what he was told, being responsible in some shape or form in Corrin being teased or pranked. Takumi only joined in at times and thus wasn't the perpetrator and Hinoka would never tease Corrin, outside of chasing her sometimes when they played Tag and she was "it" (though she chased her like she would with Kamui and Takumi). Otherwise, that was it. Hinoka rarely teased her.

If a person were to ask Ryoma for his opinion, he would scold Kamui for being mean, but if the prank in question was nothing more than teasing, then Ryoma would let it play out. As long as both sides weren't harmed or hurt in the situation, and if both sides were just nothing more than having fun.

Though the situation from Corrin getting wet seemed not to be the case, he was sure Hinoka and their mother already scolded Kamui on the matter.

Sumeragi smiled at Kamui, not at all accusing and just wondering. "Kamui, why would you do that to your sister? Why did you make her wet?"

A cheeky grin was on Kamui's face, growing wide. "I couldn't help it! Corrin's too easy to scare!"

A retort began forming on Corrin's lips but Sumeragi cut the argument short. "Kamui, you know that is not a nice thing to do to your sister."

Corrin scoffed, her own thoughts of her twin swirling in her head and voicing them loudly. "Kamui's just a mean bully!"

"Am not! You just get angry easily!"

"You are too... Wait..." Corrin paused. "Did you say I get angry easily?!"

"Yeah, you stupid!"

Silence rang out. Corrin and the others stared, shock taking their features. Kamui just smirked triumphantly at the look on his twin's face as won the argument, she couldn't formulate a response.

Ryoma responded first, unhappy with Kamui's insult and shaking his head. "Kamui..."

Sumeragi was less than amused by his son's insult. "Kamui."

Then his eyes widened in fear and realization as Hinoka bounded up to him and leaned over so that the two were face to face.

"Kamui..." Kamui could barely lift his eyes up to her smiling face. A face that held so many untold horrors, waiting to punish.

He tried to not whimper. By the voice that rang out, his mouth sounded like he was. "Yes?" The voice sounded like a croak and his throat was dry, feeling like sandpaper.

Maybe he should've kept his mouth shut.

"What did you call your sister?"

"N-nothing!"

Her smile grew wider, "It didn't sound like nothing!" She tapped a finger on his nose. "It seemed to me that you called her 'stupid'!"

A meek look was on the boy's face, pleading. "I'm sorry?" He tries.

An unspoken rule among the household of their home was no "curse" words. That rule extended to insults. Made and put into effect by their mother. Yet Kamui seemed to have forgotten that rule.

Hinoka leaned over to Kamui and mumbled in his ear, "I don't believe you are sorry."

"Um..." The boy wildly looked around for an escape. Panic gripped his being. Then he saw it. The escape. "Mama!"

Queen Mikoto stood at the entrance of the dining room, cradling and carry a small bundle in her arms: Sakura. Just only a few months old, the baby was peacefully sleeping and blissfully unaware. From her bald head was a few small patches of pink hair.

Kamui rushed away and over to his mother; Corrin tailing him and the rest of the family followed afterward. The entire family was together.

"Mother, what took you so long?" Hinoka looked up at her, and then her siblings were wondering the same.

Mikoto smiled, "I apologize. I got caught up with talking to a few people and lost track of the time." She smiled at her husband and kissed his cheek. "I didn't know you and Ryoma finished the meeting so early with the council, dear."

Sumeragi returned the kiss passionately to his wife, and Ryoma smiled proudly. "Father and I just came a while back before you came in, mother."

"That means we can eat together!" Takumi said, and then his siblings realized the fact too, regardless if they knew because Takumi stated it, for they were smiling too. 

For the family, they were happy because it was times and moments like this, no matter how trivial or seemingly little it was, even just having dinner, that the whole family would be together.

Unfortunately, such moments like these were never meant to last forever.

"Lord Sumeragi! Sir!"

The family turned around to the voice of the owner. It was a soldier, a man dressed in armor. He walked towards them at a brisk pace, his strides large and quick. An incredibly flustered, look on his face. As he reached them, he swiftly bowed.

"Sir!" He repeats.

He keeps his bowed position until Sumeragi waves a hand and the man stands up at the signal. "Umm... Soldier..."

The man stares, confusion flittering on his face before it changes to a neutral expression. "Lelas, at your service, sir."

The soldier, Lelas, looks at the family and then the dining past them, the smell of food permeating the air. "Forgive me, sir... I didn't realize you were having dinner with your family. If you would like, I could wait until you are finished..."

Sumeragi brushes the comment off and studies the soldier before him. He studies the man's face, his cheekbones high and face taut, and for a brief moment in the professional placid look, he can see a look of urgency. It was important. It could not be held off. It should not.

"No. It can wait. You seem to have some message of importance right now, Lelas."

Lelas nods, and from the pocket and stuffed into the armor, he takes out a folded parchment and holds it out for the king. "From Commander Radcliffe."

Sumeragi takes the paper and slowly reads through it, his eyes widened at a particular certain point on the piece of paper and then he looks up at the soldier, Lelas. "Commander Radcliffe sent you back?"

Lelas confirms it, nodding. "Yes, sir."

"What is it, father?"

Sumeragi looks down at his oldest son, his expression curious, and then to his wife. "We have to discuss this someplace else. We should go. Ryoma, come."

"Whaaat?!"

Sumeragi looked at Kamui, Corrin, and Takumi. The three had an unhappy look on their faces. He looks at Hinoka who was behind them, and even she looked unhappy too at what was said, though she also had a look of understanding too from her expression compared to her younger siblings. "You have to go do work again?"

Sumeragi winced. He wishes he didn't. If it was any other time that the paper was given to him, such as earlier in the day when he and Ryoma were working, or even morning; he gladly would discuss it. But he had a duty to his kingdom first and foremost; the topic written on the paper given to him spoke of the importance of it. This would need to be handled now, regardless of how he felt.

He smiles and tries to make them understand, yet he knew they won't be. "It's work. It is important."

"You always say that! And it's dinner right now. Why can't you wait til later?!"

Sumeragi sighs, accepting the response. "I'm sorry." He smiles, ruffling Corrin's hair, who just huffed and looked away.

Kamui asks Ryoma, "D'you have to go too, big brother? Can't it wait later?"

Ryoma smiles and shakes his head apologetically, "No. Sorry, Kamui."

The boy sighs at the response. "Of course you do."

The siblings looked up at their mother, who could only give the group of four an apologetic look and the same response of "Sorry" too. Before she left, however, she said something to Hinoka.

"Hinoka, can you take Sakura?"

"Yes, mother." Hinoka reaches out and takes the youngest sibling of their entire family; the baby gurgling happily and reaching out with her stubby arms at Hinoka, cradling her. She must've woke up at some point during the time.

Hinoka smiles and tickles the baby's cheek with a finger, walking back to the table, Sakura giggling happily as she grips the finger with her tiny hands. Their other siblings watch their mother, their father, and their oldest brother depart with the soldier down the hallways, becoming nothing more than a dot.

Kamui watches them go. He didn't know what to feel. Rather, he did. He wants to go back to eat dinner. But there was another feeling he felt, a feeling that he felt that it couldn't be ignored and needed to be fulfilled.

He needed to follow them. He wanted to follow them. He wanted to hear what they were saying.

He didn't know what brought this feeling on. Perhaps he shouldn't. The sudden urge and desire completely came out of nowhere and was just a curiosity of his. It bubbles and is like a cup being filled to the brim with any liquid. He looks back at the table. Maybe he shouldn't go. He sees Takumi back on the table and then Corrin too. Feeling and desire were strong.

Not Takumi. There were most things Takumi and he did together, but not all the time. No. He had a feeling Takumi wouldn't agree to this.

Maybe Corrin then.

He glances over to her and heads to his seat next to her. Yes. Out of all the things done together, most of the time agreed to follow his decisions and choices. He, in turn, would do the same. It was how the two functioned in what they decided and not.

Not now, however, it would look suspicious if he and Corrin announced that they were going somewhere. He looks over to Hinoka. Kamui remembers when he and Corrin attempted to try something multiple times before but Hinoka caught them. Kamui admitted that he was the one who came up with it and that Corrin only had a brief and short summary of it. She didn't know much about it. The plan turned out to be when Kamui found a gigantic millipede on the side of the rectangular rim that outlined the door of their room. Corrin wasn't happy when she heard of Kamui's plan and Hinoka punished him with a painful ear pinch that he still felt it throb a bit a day later even after most of the pain had long since gone. Since then, Kamui has done the same action over and over that Hinoka would be suspicious and ask why both were leaving dinner as Kamui just took Corrin by the hand and walk out without a word. He would not do that again.

For now, he would continue to eat. After dinner, he would enact his plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah, I know. It's been three months. Expect this consistency to hopefully not continue


	3. Chapter 2 (part 2)

Dinner that evening was uneventful and when the four finished, they all headed off towards their rooms. Hinoka asked her siblings if they wanted to do anything or play with each other before they head off towards bed. Takumi, with a grin, suggests that they could play chess, to which the other three vehemently said "no". He would win against them every single time, and it wasn't fun seeing Takumi win the game every single time in a few turns given. Fine, he said, I'll play with Yukimura. Hinoka asks one final time to Kamui and Corrin. Corrin replied that she didn't really feel like doing anything anymore (thankfully, as that would ruin his plans for himself and his sister) and Kamui agrees. Hinoka says okay, but if they need anything, they could come over to knock on the door to her room. She also takes Sakura, knowing that their Mother wouldn't be out for awhile in the meeting.

That was the time when Kamui put his plan into action. Discreetly watching both Takumi and Hinoka-the patter having Sakura in her arms-disappear down the corridor and to their rooms. This could work.

He gives a slight shake of his head. What was he doubting? Of course, it'll work.

Kamui leaps off his seat and trails besides Corrin. The two make their way back to their shared room, and Kamui glances at Corrin's clothes. Having long since dried completely, he realizes with a look, and Kamui felt no guilt on his prank hours earlier. As he said before, Corrin was just too easy to tease! It's because she got upset so easily and tattled on him that he felt a smidge of guilt.

Now, he just didn't care. Or perhaps even before dinner he didn't care? There didn't seem to be a difference either way and no effect bearing on the situation either way. He couldn't care less.

"Kamui? Kamui!"

Kamui is snapped out of his reverie by her. "What?"

"Our room is that way. Where are you going?"

Kamui looks to where his sister is pointing. Then he grins. He had been so caught up in his thoughts on his prank and his earlier plan that he didn't realize he went past the direction to their room.

"Somewhere…"

Corrin stares, a look of suspicion on her face. She obviously didn't miss where he trailed off. "Where? Are you planning to go out?" She shakes her head. "You can't. It's dark and Mom said we can't go out after dinner."

"I'm not planning to go out."

"Then where are you going?"

"Just…" He thinks. "Follow me."

"What?"

"Just follow me."

"Why? Where are you going?"

"C'mon! Just come with me." He takes a few steps.

Corrin shakes her head again. "I'm not going til you tell me where you're going. If it's out, I'm not coming."

Kamui blinks, staring. He thought Corrin often agreed with him on things all the time. He wasn't on planning to go out. It was merely just following his mother, father, Ryoma, and that man named… Lelas, that he wanted to follow them and see what they were going and plan on doing. Even if he did plan on going out, he thought that Corrin would agree on it. She didn't however, and Kamui realized why. She didn't want to get in trouble and caught up in one of his greatest schemes. She didn't want to get into trouble that she had no part in planning; just merely following.

She would agree to do things with him, but only to a certain extent.

"I'll explain later if you come with me."

Corrin pauses to think, a look of concentration appeared on her face.

* * *

Corrin stares at her brother. What was he doing? Was he planning to go out? What was he planning to do? If he wasn't planning to go out, then where was he going?

The questions weighed in Corrin's mind. But she knew she would get no answers from her brother if she didn't come with him. On the other hand however, if he was planning one of his schemes again, then she didn't want to come with him. She all too well remembered the bug incidents many times before and would rather have not another repeat of it.

She still had to decide. Maybe Kamui was telling the truth and wasn't making a plan of any sort to go out? Even if he showed any attempt of doing, she could always just leave him.

"Fine. I'll come." She gave her answer reluctantly.

Kamui's face lights up.

"But only if you'll tell me why. And it better not be outside."

He grins, "Of course!" He grabs her hand and turns to lead her. "Let's go!"

The two dash down the corridor, rushing past artifacts and paintings attached to the shiny grandeur of walls. Pillars holding the entire castle up became a blur to them, and their feet met the soft cotton wool of the lengthy rug that was between them and the marmoreal floor.

As the two dashed down the corridor, footsteps silent, due to the rug and purely the fact they wore no shoes or footwear. The castle was silent, for no other person in the hallways besides the two. Interior of the building was lit up by lamps, situated and placed adjacent to windows and paintings.

As promised, Kamui told Corrin his plan.

"You want to see where Mama, Papa, and Big bro Ryoma are going?"

He nodded.

"How? Did you see where they went?"

Yeah."

"The entire way?"

"Yes."

Corrin stared at him.

"No." He reluctantly admits.

"Then how will you find them?"

The question hit Kamui. How was he going to find them? He had no further tracks to follow where they went. His eyes only scanned them as far as they could see into the distance until they finally disappeared.

Perhaps he could guess? It wasn't like there was any other options, besides going back to his and his sister's shared room, which he didn't want to because of the former intent to find them.

"Umm…"

Just when Corrin could berate her brother, a noise rang out, muffled almost entirely by the walls. It remained silent for a few seconds, before it rang out again. Both twins turned their eyes to a room a short distance away, sure of the sound that rang out from that room.

Corrin blinked, "Was that Mama?"

Kamui narrowed his eyes. He wasn't expecting the sudden voice of his mother. He pauses, the voice sounded again, and his lips turned up into a grin. "It's them. Let's go!"

"Hey, wait!"

Kamui continues his way down, with his sister trailing behind him. She only takes a couple of steps until, from the corner of her eye, notices something on a painting.

Normally, Corrin wouldn't have gave a thought to any of the paintings on the wall and stop to stare. It didn't really interest her, and she could always look at it in her free time. But this particular one interested her and gained her fascination. She didn't know why or how, but it did.

The picture in question and had completely caught the young girl's interest, mounted and attached to the walls, was surrounded and rimmed with gold. From the middle of the top, bottom, right, and left of the entire gold rim, was a small carving of the Dawn Dragon. Its mouth ajar, fangs jutted out. Forming from the base of the gold which had an elegant design of a sakura flower carved adjacent to it. The gold flowers were then crafted all around the gold rim, to which two from opposite sides met the small gold Dawn Dragon.

In the middle of the surrounded gold was a picture that resembled something of a bird. From the top right, it formed a line about a few inches that went slightly down to the left corner of the rim, before it circled around like a loop until it came to a stop. This was the head. A small triangle, drawn from the outer circular head of the bird. This was the "beak".

Corrin was utterly transfixed by the strange bird like symbol. She did not know what it was; what it _represented_, yet she couldn't help but grow an interest in it. She did not know why she had a particular interest in this painting; she just did.

Maybe she saw this painting before? She thinks, picking off any memory from earlier today, days, or even months… Last week? No… Father was there though...

Her eyes widened in realization. Yes, she remembered it. It was three weeks ago. She was playing tag with Kamui, Takumi, and Hinoka around the castle when she saw her father.

* * *

_Corrin dashed off to a direction from Takumi as he was it and, looking behind her to see if he was chasing her, didn't notice Sumeragi standing. Feet glued to the floor as the king of Hoshido was staring seemingly at the painting; eyes fixated on a certain point. She barreled into him as she looks back to ascertain Takumi wasn't chasing her._

"_Ow!" She fell on her butt to the ground while Sumeragi barely budged from the collision, only stepping back slightly as he looked down at his daughter, regaining his attention from the painting. "Corrin?"_

"_Papa?" She looks up from her position on the floor._

"_Corrin?" He repeated. He looks up towards the direction Corrin sprinted from. "You were running down the hall?"_

_Corrin smiled sheepishly, "Sorry Papa! I didn't see you! Me, Kamui, Takumi, and Hinoka are playing tag!"_

_Sumeragi chuckles, picking his daughter up. He could totally see them doing that. He wasn't too surprised on their game being played in the castle instead of outside. They had done it multiple times before inside. "It's all right. Just look where you are going next time if you're running down the hall."_

_Corrin nods, glancing up to where her father. "What are you looking at, Papa?"_

"_Oh, it's just something. A painting."_

_Corrin turns her gaze to where her father was looking. It was a symbol that resembled a bird. She voiced her thoughts. "It looks like a bird."_

_He nods at his daughter's answer, "Indeed it does."_

_Corrin studies the painting with her father, trying to discern what it could possibly mean. She wasn't too worried about the game, just barely picking up the distant, fading voices of Kamui, Takumi, and Hinoka traveling farther and farther away._

_After a few minutes, she caved in and decided to ask her father, looking back up at him, unable to form a meaning. "What does it mean?"_

_Sumeragi stares at the painting for a brief moment, then he looks down at her. "Do you want to hear a story?"_

_Corrin glances at the painting, then back to her father. "Does it have to do with the painting?"_

"_Yes it does."_

_Her eyes lit up in childish delight. "Tell me!" _

_Sumeragi chuckles at his daughter's demand. If there was anything that caught her interest, it was stories. Both her and Kamui's. "Alright, alright. Let's see…" He pauses to think before speaking. "A few years back, when before Kamui and you came, a young man bore this symbol on his forehead from a piece of cloth and metal called a headband. He came from a faraway land. The symbol, he said, represented they came from a village."_

"_Really? What village did he come from? What was his name?"_

_Sumeragi goes through his head, trying to recall the name of the village from the years back. He only remembers pitch black eyes of the man and equally as black hair. He couldn't remember any other of the defining features they had. Only their eyes. He looks down, shaking his head, conceding to the point that he couldn't remember what village they came from. "I cannot remember." _

_The sparkle in her eyes lowered in disappointment. "Nothing?" _

_Sumeragi smiles reassuringly, and tousled her hair. "If I find out, I'll tell you."_

_She pouts, pointing to the painting. "Not even the bird symbol?"_

_He shakes his head, "Unfortunately not." The man glances behind her, smiling. "Behind you, Corrin."_

_Corrin turned around to see Kamui smile at her before patting his hand on her, before reeling it back and sprinting off, cackling gleefully. "You're it!"_

_Corrin yelped, her heart nearly jumping out of her chest. She stares at the departing figure of her brother, heart bumping widely, before her eyes narrowed and she shouted back at her brother, chasing after him, barely hearing his assertion of the game's rules on "No tag backs!"_

* * *

Papa had told her that the symbol was from a faraway village. She realized that he hadn't told her of the village, what was it called, or the man and woman who came into Hoshido once yet. Perhaps she could ask later, to find out if he discovered its identity yet…

"Corrin!"

The girl was snapped out of her thoughts as she looked towards to her side to the direction of the noise and saw herself face to face with her brother, their noses nearly touching.

Kamui scowled as she noticed. He had to get close to her and shout her name. "Finally! I was calling out for you several times and you didn't hear me."

She glances at the painting, "You did?"

The boy widely gestured angrily. "Yes!" He stares at the painting to where his sister was looking for the entire time and the object of distraction. "Why are you staring at the painting anyway? It's just a bird!"

She frowns, "I was looking because Papa told me of the story of a village that had the symbol of the bird few weeks ago."

Kamui's eyes snap up to her, "Wait! Story? What story? There's a story to the painting?" He looks up to the painting of the bird, before back down to his sister. "Tell me!"

Coffin opens her mouth to tell him of the story, then she closes it, thinking. Her lips turned up into a grin. She decided to not. This was her revenge for scaring her earlier when they were playing hide and seek! "Nope! Not gonna tell ya!"

"What? Why not?"

Corrin knew her twin brother's interest in stories matched her own. He had heard much of the same stories as much as her. However, she could use the story Papa told her as leverage against him.

Just then, a voice rang out from the walls, now becoming more clear now that the twins were closer to the room Ryoma, their mother, and their father were in. Along with the man called "Lelas". That, the two realized, was their mother.

Kamui shakes his head, the topic of the tale forgotten for now. "That was Mama! Let's go."

The two instantly made their way to the nearby room their other family members and the single soldier were occupying in, stopping just at the shut doors and waiting on each side of them.

* * *

"In the following day you receive this message or at your earliest convenience, King Sumeragi. On behalf of our King, he would like to propose a peace treaty that would benefit both kingdoms of Hoshido and Nohr. As he has several options to the treaty available to discuss, he proposes to discuss them at the border of both territories of our kingdoms near the Bottomless Canyon."

Below was the signed name of the King of Nohr, King Garon.

Sumeragi rubs his chin after reading the letter aloud to his other companions in the group. Beside him, Mikoto reads the letter silently once more to herself, her eyes lit with worry. Lelas stands off to the side, waiting his lord's response; his own countenance heavy with nervousness. A contemplating silence passes through the room.

Sumeragi stares at the letter, his face grim and serious. Ryoma from a chair near his father looks on with concern and confusion. He looks at his mother. "Father? Mother?" He calls out hesitantly. They didn't answer, making the boy move closer. What was going on? Ryoma wondered. Was it something to do with the Nohr treaty Father was talking about? Is it that serious?

After the moment of silence passes, Sumeragi looks up at the other occupants of the room. "Well. Any initial thoughts?"

"Sir, if I may…"

He swept a hand, "Given."

"The letter of this does not seem to be fake or contrived in any way. It seems Nohr genuinely wants this for the betterment of… both countries." Lelas ended his given answer with slight hesitation.

Mikoto looked in disbelief at her husband. The pit of her stomach felt empty, not from dinner but from the decision of the situation. "You honestly don't believe you should accept this treaty? What if it's a trap? This could possibly be a trap set up by the country. King Garon and Nohr might not express any intentions of a treaty at all if you consider this."

Sumeragi looked at his wife, "Mikoto, our country's tensions with Nohr has been mounting and doesn't seem to be vanquishing any time soon." Shaking his head, he continues. "There are no other options available. I have to accept this treaty by Nohr and King Garon. This treaty might be the difference to preserving life for both sides and end whatever conflict between both sides."

Mikoto bit her lip. It was not like she didn't want peace with Nohr. In fact, she wanted nothing more than peace with the rival kingdom. But the country of Nohr hadn't been just and fair. The most important fact is that the country was exceedingly harsh and brutal, if the rumors were anything to go by. A few years back, she recalled attacks on their towns nearing the border of Hoshidian territory. There was one, she remembered. No survivors. All inhabitants of the town were killed. Reported by soldiers ordered back. They said the bodies were of months old. A messenger had angrily proclaimed that the country of Nohr had been responsible for the attack. Others agreed and eventually and inevitably, the rumor started by the soldier and spread to the people of Hoshido, some demanding for justice. Sumeragi sent a letter to the country of Nohr; the country returned one back, denying any rumors of attacking a Hoshidian country nearing the edge of the border. While soldiers were sent and the Kitsunes in Hoshido territory agreed to help with the investigation, they returned with nothing; Hoshido was unable to provide any evidence of Nohr being responsible, and thus, the situation remained unsolved, though many within Hoshidian territory still held the belief that Nohr had been responsible for the attack and for many a burning resentment towards the rival country.

He stood up, "Lelas, inform a detachment. Tell them to prepare for the next day." He paused. "Commander Radcliffe is still out near the territory?"

Lelas inclined his head with a nod, "Yes sir."

"Then we'll rendezvous with Commander Radcliffe and head out near the border for Nohr's treaty."

Ryoma, who stayed silent for almost the entire meeting, finally spoke. He looked up, "Father?"

Sumeragi looked to his son. "Yes?"

Ryoma only glances at his mother and then Sumeragi remembered, "Ah yes…" He clears his throat. "Mikoto?"

Mikoto was staring at the letter, her eyes scanning the contents over and over until she looked up, "Yes?"

He takes a deep breath and prayed to the Dawn Dragon what he said next would not make his wife furious. She rarely did, as it took an inhuman amount to make her lose her temper. But she had her limits and Sumeragi wasn't going to test them. There was no other way to put it so he hoped the blunt and straightforward option would be the best option. "I'm also taking Ryoma with me to Commander Radcliffe's location and the treaty's location."

Silence ensued. Mikoto turns and stares at her husband and son in unveiled shock. Then she lets out a yell, "What?!"

* * *

Kamui scowled in displeasure, "Aww c'mon! We missed most of what they're saying!"

Through the small peephole of the door handle and through the doors and walls, the two were able to make through what was said, though Kamui was unhappy because they missed most of what was said. He brushed aside the words such as "treaty" and "Nohr", deeming them as unimportant. It seemed they missed most of the important stuff being said. Or what Kamui believed the point of the "important" parts being missed. There was only one person responsible for missing most of what was said.

He looked at his sister, "If you hadn't been staring at that dumb bird painting, then we wouldn't miss most of what they're saying!"

Corrin frowned, countering his statements with one of her own. "Didn't we already miss most of it by you not knowing where they were going and trying to find which room they're in? It's not my fault."

"We missed more by you just staring at the painting!"

Corrin was about to retort, words forming on her lips, with another statement until the two hear a yell from inside the room. "_What?!"_

The two blinked, having the same thought. _That was Mama!_

The two refocused their attention back to inside the room, unaware of what went inside it.

* * *

"Absolutely not!"

Sumeragi winced. Well… That went great. From the corner of his eye, he could see Ryoma's expression mirroring his. Lelas was still standing off to the side, not knowing what to make of the situation.

Mikoto glared at her husband, her expression furious. Her lips lowered into a frown and her eyes narrowed, dipping down. The raging fire in her eyes started, crackling and snapping and popping. It blossomed into a big inferno. Her beautiful face, turned into an expression of fury. Sumeragi found that this was the woman he fell in love with. He was transfixed by his wife, absolutely furious and angry.

"Do you hear me?! You are not bringing Ryoma to this treaty!"

Ryoma cut in, "But mother-"

Mikoto glared, cutting off whatever he had to say. "No." She turned to her husband, "I agreed to this treaty, but I will not agree to bringing our son there! Why do you want to bring him?"

Sumeragi took a breath, "I'm hoping that Ryoma were to succeed next in line after me, he must attend the treaty to gain knowledge of how the process works. This could teach him how to work treaties with other nations some time in the future.

Ryoma saw the time to add, "I'll be safe, Mother! I won't go far from father. I'm just going to see the treaty and that's it."

Mikoto looks at the two. Ryoma sported a look of determination. Sumeragi one of confidence, full of faith in his son. Was that it? She feels guilt well up in her for snapping at them, thinking something more of the situation than it actually meant and jumping to conclusions easily.

"I-I'm sorry. It's just that-" She holds a hand to massage her temples.

Sumeragi went over to console his wife with Ryoma beside him. "Stress? Over the entire situation?"

She nodded, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You don't trust the whole treaty and that's fine." Kissing his wife, he said, "I don't have much trust either, to be honest, but if this treaty helps prevent conflict and preserve the future of our country then it's a risk that I must be willing to take."

Mikoto nods, even though the look of uncertainty still etched on her face relayed otherwise.

"Well…" Sumeragi stood up. "Suppose we should head to dinner. We haven't eaten yet."

Lelas nods, "Well sir. I should probably go out to inform the army now."

"You do that and head back to the barracks. Get some food and rest up for the day tomorrow. Good work, Lelas."

"Yes sir." Lelas bowed to the King one last time and left to the doors, opening them and revealing the hallways.

* * *

Kamui gaped silently at the words being said. His thoughts were heavy with them, then anger burned in him, crying out the unfairness of the situation.

What?! Ryoma was going with their father?! Was that the whole point of their mother, father, and brother skipping dinner for? For this "treaty"?! That was completely unfair! Ryoma gets to leave to go while he and Corrin has to stay in the castle?! It was so boring! Ryoma gets to go on an adventure with their father while they had to stay in the kingdom! Why can't they come?!

Thumping footsteps coming closer from their position, adjacent to the doors. Corrin blinks and turns to her brother, hissing.

"Kamui, someone's coming out!"

Kamui was snapped out of his thoughts. What? Then he hears the footsteps. The boy's eyes scanned the area nervously around, panicking. A circular window sill that had enough space to contain them, along from the sides were curtains upon a hanger.

He quickly rushes over and into it, gesturing for Corrin to come, "Hurry!"

"Why? Can't we just-" She started but was cut off.

"Because they won't let us, so come!"

Corrin runs into the window with Kamui and the latter pulls the curtain in, covering them completely from view.

The two hold their breath just as the door opens, and through a small opening of the curtain, could see the soldier called Lelas from earlier pop out from the door.

The soldier glanced at the window and large curtains that contained them, before beginning to walk off, the sound of footsteps growing distant. The two, sure of Lelas's departure, was about to release their breaths until they hear the man's voice ring out. "Wait, this curtain wasn't closed over the window before."

The twin's eyes widen and through the small crack, could see Lelas coming back to their area. Cursing, Kamui grabbed Corrin and held her close to him, trying to make their bodies as small as possible and an attempt to hide. Which was futile, given that Lelas would pull the curtains open and discover the two either way.

Corrin could feel the heartbeat of her brother growing faster and faster. The thumping was loud against her ear and she presses herself closer to her brother. She looks up to see the utter growing terror in his face, knowing that they'll be discovered.

The footsteps stopped, close. The two brings their eyes down to see the armored boots of the soldier. They look up to see the curtain shift slightly, beginning to part. Kamui hugs his sister tighter, closing his eyes and accepting their fate. She buries her face into his chest.

There was nothing they could do. Lelas the soldier would discover them behind the curtains and bring them to their parents and brother, possibly getting scolded for not going to their rooms or hearing the conversation.

Corrin had many regrets. She remembers doing many questionable activities she would later grow to regret.

But right now, her only thoughts were why did she ever agree to come with her brother and wondering how much trouble were they going to get.

She **was** going to regret this.

Then, from behind the curtains, the two hear Lelas speak again, "It's evening out. Perhaps one of King Sumeragi of Queen Mikoto servants or they themselves closed the curtain, in case for the next morning." The two could see the man shakes his head. "I should stop wasting my time with such small, trivial things. King Sumeragi's order was for me to inform the detachment and I should do that." A slight pause. "Not to mention the whole treaty with Nohr and the rendezvous location with Commander Lelas."

The twins held their breaths again. They couldn't believe their eyes. From inside, they look down to see Lelas step away from the curtains. Pulling the curtains apart slightly, they see the man walk off down the hall.

When they were sure, the two finally let their breaths that long awaited to come out.

"Geez! That was close!" Kamui panted out. "We almost got caught!"

Corrin didn't believe it either. She was too busy trying to calm her beating heart down to even formulate a response. They had barely escaped getting caught! How?! But then another thought came into realization, one that filled excitement and happiness within:

They successfully got away with something. For the first time ever. They had never gotten away with anything before. All the plans they had made in the past been revealed and found out by their parents or older siblings. Rarely did their plans ever succeed. There were a couple of times, but not once did it ever succeed.

However, this time they did. They had successfully pulled off a maneuver that succeeded. And in this case, it was hiding.

She had to inform Kamui of this!

"Kamui!"

"Huh?" He looks up.

"We got away with something!"

He blinks, "Got away? Got away with what?"

"Duh! With hiding!"

Kamui stares at his sister, thinking of what his sister could possibly be talking about, then his grin grows wider. "Ohh!"

"Yeah!"

"We succeeded!" He repeats, as if to confirm even though it's already been or as if to savor their victory.

Corrin lunges forward and hugs her brother tightly. They did it! They succeeded!

Kamui laughs, hugging her back.

The two siblings celebrate, basking in the victory of their childish plans and schemes. Corrin wraps her arms around her brother's waist. Kamui wraps his own around her back.

"We did it." Corrin mumbled into her brother's chest.

"Yep." Kamui looks out the window, watching the moon and the indigo lit sky and twinkling stars shimmering.

Turning then back to his sister, his eyes widen slightly at their position, "Umm... Corrin?"

She looks up, blinking. "Yes?"

"Uhh…" The boy, with trepidation, turns his gaze downward. "You're still hugging me."

Corrin looks down, her face quickly turning a dark shade of red. She hastily blurts, "So are you!"

Kamui looks down, his expression mirroring her, and then the boy released her. The two peel themselves from each other.

"Uhh…"

A pregnant pause of silence forms between the two. Kamui turned away, "This never happened."

Corrin could only nod mutely in agreement, too embarrassed by their sudden affectionate actions. If any of their siblings found out about this, then it would be nothing but endless teasing for days.

Footsteps sounded out again, and through the parted covers to discover the noise, they could see their mother, father, and brother walk the opposite direction Lelas took, back to the direction they took when to get to the very place to hear the conversation.

"We should probably go back to our room."

Kamui looked at where their other family members took, and then the night sky outside. Have they been here for an hour?

Well, the plan has been a success and Kamui didn't see any reason to be out here. He turns back to her. "Yeah. We should go."

* * *

Trailing behind their parents and brother was an easy task. The fact of having no footwear and being barefoot made their footsteps silent, even when they stepped on the bare marmoreal floor that weren't covered by the rug.

When the two got to their room, they opened the door (Before doing so, Kamui teasingly made a joke of the spider he found and Corrin turned to glare and push him) to unveil their room from the inside.

From both corners of the room were two beds. A window sill sat in the middle on the wall. Beneath it was a desk and a picture of the two.

Kamui flopped onto his bed, as Corrin headed toward the bathroom to change. She tells him that she would take a bath, her arms full of fresh clothes, and Kamui briefly nods, his thoughts heavy.

The boy plays out the events from earlier in his head, watching the ceiling of their room with both disinterest and concentration. Two words that didn't fit, yet somehow did.

Ryoma was going with their father somewhere. Somewhere called "Bottomless Canyon". Their mother had first objected angrily, but then relented, letting them both go. It wasn't fair. He realized that Ryoma could not play with them anymore, too busy on work with their father. And now? Their older brother gets to go somewhere with their father while he and the rest must stay behind.

It was outrageous, it was unfair! How can Ryoma get to go and they have to stay behind?!

Kamui hears the bath water from the bath bubbling and running but his attention was solely focused on today's events.

Their mother would never let them go, he realized. How would she? She, her father, and Ryoma had been called over by Lelas for what he assumed to be "work related" things. (After all, why not?)

And yet it was so unfair.

Kamui turns his gaze to the left side to the room door, closing his eyes. Not trying to sleep; he wasn't tired just yet, but to think further of the given predicament.

It's not like they can do anything. Again, Mother wouldn't let them go and Kamui wouldn't bet their father or Ryoma would let them go either if they ask.

_If only we can come with them. If only we can go without Mama telling us not to. If only we can go with no one telling us otherwise. _

Wait...

Kamui had an idea. It forms the topic of earlier and he sits up, becoming prominent in his brain. It takes almost his entire concentration, filling him with activity. He jerks upright, eyes opening.

Why not he and Corrin go with their father and their brother? Regardless of what their mother said?

The boy couldn't help, his thoughts of getting to flee and go with their father and Ryoma. Getting to go on an "adventure". That's what their father and brother sounded like they were going to anyway.

Why not? That way, they can all go together! Him, Corrin, Ryoma, and their father! It would be fun!

The boy is giddy with anticipation and excitement at the discovery of his new plan, until he comes to a stop.

Another question, did their other siblings want to come?

Takumi might, but then again, Kamui knew his brother had a habit of abandoning ship or retreating the moment he finds trouble. He only fought when it entirely played out in his favor.

So not Takumi then. He didn't relay the plan to Takumi earlier and Takumi wasn't there to witness the conversation with them. Takumi also only fought winning battles.

And not Hinoka either. Because she would never let them, no matter how much begging or pleading. She would likely also follow their mother rules and tell her, stopping them entirely. He learned from multiple times of failure, and he would not like to add another one. It was already a blow to his pride and another of his failed schemes.

Seemed like it was only Corrin and himself then. Oh well. He couldn't feel guilty of Takumi or Hinoka not coming if factors prevented them from doing so.

He hadn't told Corrin of it yet. She soon would know however.

He calls out from the bed, "Corrin, are you done yet?!"

"What?!"

He repeats himself, "Are you done taking a bath?!"

"No!" A pause. "Why are you asking?! You don't need to take a bath!"

Here goes. "I need to tell you something!"

"Why?"

"It's important!"

"Really? Wait until I'm done then!"

Kamui sighed, hearing the sound of splashing water. It was impossible to change Corrin's mind once she has it set on something. Or unless something was there to tempt her. Guess he has to wait then.

* * *

As Corrin got out of the bath, wearing new fresh clothes, she closes the room shut and says to Kamui, "Okay so what do you need to tell me?"

Kamui's grin only grows wider as the response and Corrin got a feeling Kamui was planning a scheme or plan of his again. He smiled every single time or most of it when he was planning something. Either that or a look of concentration.

"What? Why are you smiling?"

The mischievous child that was her brother asked, "You heard the meeting between Papa, Mama, and Ryoma right?"

"Yeah."

"You heard they were going out somewhere called

'Bottomless Canyon'?"

"Yeah. Some 'treaty' thing."

"And we were hiding from them?"

Corrin shook her head. She was not playing this game with her brother. If he had a plan, then he should tell her. "Why are you still smiling like that? It's creepy. Just tell me what you're planning already! I already know this!"

Kamui leans closer. Now this is the part where he'll catch her interest. "How would you like to come with me to follow Papa and Ryoma to Bottomless Canyon?"

Corrin froze. She lets her head fill with the idea of the plan Kamui had. She thought back to the earlier event. Interest fills and plagues her head, and she looks back to her brother.

"Go on then. Explain."

Kamui grins and he eagerly begins to tell her of his plan.

* * *

"So what do you think?" Kamui asked his sister. "You're gonna come?"

Kamui had fully explained his entire plan to her, telling her that their parents and oldest brother would not let them go, (neither will Hinoka and Takumi wouldn't have cared a single bit to come) they should sneak away with Ryoma and their father to the treaty.

Corrin waited patiently for her brother to explain his plan. And when he finished, she only thought for a few seconds just to give her answer.

"Yep! Why not? It's boring around here anyway. There's nothing fun to do and like you said, Ryoma and Papa gets to go on out somewhere on an adventure anyway." Her eyes twinkled. "So we should go!"

Kamui grinned, glad that Corrin shared the same sentiments towards the treaty. She too wanted a taste of outside the kingdom like him.

For the moment, Kamui was glad they were twins, because for all their differences, they were also similar.

"I do have a question though." Corrin said. "How are we gonna sneak away? Papa, Mama, Ryoma, and Hinoka might try to find us."

Kamui pauses. She was right. He didn't plan the entire situation out. Them hiding away to go with Ryoma and their father was fine enough, sure. But how and where? If they try to hide, then one of their siblings or parents might find them.

He thinks for a moment, weighing in all possible factors and scenarios. Then he grins, "I got one."

"Really?"

"Yeah. We hide away by the horse carriage."

"Horse carriage?"

"Yep." He explains it to her. "We go hide in one of the carriages Papa and Ryoma are taking with them. I saw one outside near the steps before we went inside."

Corrin blinks at how simple it was. Then again, the earlier plan to spy on their parents and Ryoma had been simple enough, despite being nearly found by Lelas and ruining it for them.

"Is that it then?"

"Yes."

"Good then. We can go-"

"Except…"

"Except? Except what?" She didn't think Kamui would have any problems of any sort to his plans. He usually thought thinks through on his schemes and plans. She usually didn't. She barely planned anything through. In fact, she considered herself a poor planner, though she doesn't like to admit it. It's also the reason why she trusts Kamui to think plans that involve the both of them and not herself.

Kamui couldn't help but let the smile on his face widen, and Corrin felt her stomach drop slightly.

In a teasing tone, Kamui said, "It involves waking up early."

"What? You're joking."

"Nope." The boy shakes his head and explains, "We have to wake up early for the plan to work."

"Why?"

Corrin wanted sleep. She wanted to just sleep and sleep late until ten AM. Sleep was everything to her. Laying on a soft mattress and warm large sheets covering her. She was parallel to Kamui, who didn't mind waking up early. In fact, he woke up early and left Corrin sleeping most mornings. In rare instances where they stayed up most of the night, Kamui would sleep until ten or so AM.

Despite that, Kamui didn't mind waking up early. However, she did.

"Yep. Sorry." Kamui didn't sound very much sorry though.

She whined, "No! Why can't we wait later?"

"Because Ryoma and Papa might go out by then, and we'll miss it." Kamui stated, trying to convince her. "Lazy sleepyhead."

Corrin grumbled, more at the fact that they had to wake up early and less at the tease. She had no choice however. It seemed she would have to give up more hours of sleep as a sacrifice to sneak away with Ryoma and their father for their adventure. "Fine. How early?"

"Six AM. I'll wake up first to see them outside the windows of the castle and then I'll tell you when they're out or not. That's when we hide away in one of those carriages."

Corrin thought about it. The plan now seemed foolproof. Wake up early and then try to hide somewhere so they can go with Ryoma and their father. But… "Won't they try to find us by then?"

"They won't."

"What about the soldiers Papa have?"

"They won't notice us."

"What if they will if we knocked something over and they heard it?"

"Then we'll be as quiet as possible in the carriage. We won't make a sound."

"And if someone finds us in the carriage if they're looking for something?"

Kamui stares at her, annoyance and anger creeping on his face.

"What?" Corrin couldn't help but let a grin form on her face. She tries to hide it by covering her mouth with her hand, but she was sure her brother saw the grin anyway.

"Then we'll make sure they don't! We'll just hide ourselves beneath stuff until we're buried beneath them! We'll be at the bottom of it!" Kamui shouts in frustration as he threw up his hands dramatically in the air. "Do you know these questions are tearing down my plan?! You're making up stuff!"

Corrin couldn't help it. The sight of her angry brother having his plan torn down, not to mention that she finally beat her brother at something by poking holes in them. Didn't seem so foolproof after all. She giggles, "And if they find us when they take an object out?"

Kamui rolled his eyes. Now it was his turn to grumble. "Yeah, yeah. Keep laughing. You know, you possibly ruined any chance of sneaking away to work at all for us.

Corrin tried to hide her laughter, though it kept coming out in giggling fits. "Sorry. Sorry." She gasps out between her fits of laughter. "You were saying?"

Kamui nodded, "So we wake up early the next day, just hide in one of the horse carriages, wait until Ryoma and Papa, and then we go once Papa tells Ryoma they're going."

"What if Papa and Ryoma finds out in the carriage then?"

"I just said they won't."

"But if they? Won't they send us back?"

Kamui looked at the dark twinkling sky outside. What would happen if Papa or Ryoma find them while going to Bottomless Canyon? Would they send them back? For once, Kamui didn't have an answer to solve that very problem and issue that came with his plans. He was sure they would send them back the moment they found them and then they couldn't come with.

He heads into the washroom, "I'm gonna go brush. And to answer your question: Well… lets hope they won't."

Corrin was left to her own thoughts from his answer as her brother entered the washroom.

* * *

A knock on the door sounded out from outside and into the room of Mikoto's and Sumeragi's room.

"Who is it?"

"It's me, Mama. Papa."

"Hinoka? Come in."

The door opens with a click and Hinoka came in, holding the bundle in her arms. In the swaddling blankets was Sakura, sleeping peacefully.

"Sakura's asleep?"

"Yes. I came to bring her back to you. She already also ate."

"Thank you." Mikoto took the sleeping baby in her arms. "And forgive me, I didn't know there was a meeting today."

Hinoka shook her head, "It's okay, mother! I don't mind taking care of Sakura!"

Mikoto smiles, "Still, thank you."

"You're welcome!" She chirped happily. The girl looks around the room, and then to the window. Her eyes widen in realization. "It's late. Should I go tell them?"

"It is?" Mikoto looks out the window to the night sky. "Oh, it is! Hinoka, please go tell your siblings that it's time to sleep soon."

"Okay. Goodnight, Mama! Goodnight, Papa!"

"Goodnight, Hinoka." The door closes behind their daughter and Mikoto places Sakura in her crib.

* * *

Hinoka closes the door behind her to her parents room shut, her thoughts on the given task.

Heading down the hallways to her siblings room, she decides she would go to Kamui's and Corrin's room first, seeing as they were much closer.

Spotting the door to their room, she taps her knuckles on it.

—-

A knock on the door caught and turned Corrin's thoughts away as her attention now was to the entrance and door of their room. "Who is it?"

"It's me."

"Hinoka? I'm coming."

Corrin got off her bed to the entrance, opening and revealing Hinoka from the outside.

"Big sis? What are you doing here?"

"I came to tell you and Kamui it's time for bed. Mama told me to tell you two." She looked around the room. "Where's Kamui?"

"Bathroom. Brushing his teeth."

"Is he? Are you sure he's…" Hinoka leaned closer to her younger sister. "Not out?"

Corrin blinked at the sudden accusation her older sister had on her brother being out. Did her sister not trust her to tell the truth? Kamui was in their room. She can go to their room's washroom for proof that he wasn't out.

But then again, Kamui was always restless. He always had a taste for adventure, even more so than herself, and with those two combination came a boy who always wanted to see new and different places. She remembered times where Kamui went out when it was night. She remembered one time, Kamui was still out. The entire family had been searching out except their mother, who was taking care of Sakura. It was thirty or so minutes until Takumi called out that he found Kamui somewhere near the town square and market. When the other family members got there, Instead of just only Hinoka scolding him, it had also been their father. Kamui meekly stated that he wanted to see the new performance of dancers at the market. He pleaded for his father just to stay for a few minutes to watch them, and Sumeragi complied reluctantly, but warning of the trouble he would get in. Kamui didn't seem to care much for the punishment and was just happy to see the dancers at the square, along with almost the rest of the family.

"He's not out. He's in the washroom."

"Course I am."

The two turn to see Kamui exit out of the washroom. "Heard you, Big sis. Was just thinkin of something so I didn't come out earlier when I heard you. You said it's time for bed now?"

Hinoka nodded, "Mama said so."

"Okay." Closing the distance, he wraps his arm around her into a hug. "Night, Hinoka."

"Goodnight, Kamui."

Corrin mirrors her brother's action. "Goodnight, Hinoka."

"Night, Corrin."

Hinoka swivels around to leave. Just before reaching the door, she looks back, saying, "Wait. What game do you want to play tomorrow?"

The two twins glance at each other, having the same thoughts of their plans for the next day, not at all a game. If they tell her, then she in turn would tell their parents and wouldn't let them go. "We'll figure it out tomorrow." It was a lie, but they didn't see any other option. They couldn't tell her their plans at all.

Hinoka nods. She didn't detect their lie; their answer fooled her. "Okay. Goodnight." She repeated one more goodnight."

"Night." They chimed, and then she was gone, door closing shut behind her.

The two were left, staring at the door before Kamui turns to his sister. "Go brush. We should get much sleep as possible since we're gonna wake up early tomorrow."

Corrin looked out the window, "Isn't it already too late? We're gonna get less sleep anyway."

Kamui rolled his eyes. She was _still_ on that. Never mind. "Just go."

"Mmm-Kay."

As Corrin entered the washroom, Kamui flicked the lights off, showering the entire room in darkness except for the washroom, whose lights were still on.

Pulling the blankets over himself, the boy closed his eyes shut, remembering of the meeting that played out earlier. Kamui didn't know when, his final thoughts were on his siblings; not just Corrin, but his entire siblings; the train of thought changed, but before he knew it, he was asleep.

* * *

The next day of the kingdom came in lights. The sun blazed, sending in invading rays to the windows of any homes, except those blocked by the thick wool of the blinds and curtains, preventing any light from getting inside the homes. The sounds of birds chirping and the chatter of the kingdom returned from the day before, and once again, the city was alive and bustling with activity. Fishermen began opened up their stands, presenting catch from the day before. Merchants set out artifacts and expensive jewelry and wares.

Sumeragi looked down at the merchant from the top of the castle. If one were to look at the king right now and tell what he was thinking, they would say he was watching over his kingdom, the people that made it up, and the Sakura trees that surrounded and made it.

That couldn't be further from the truth.

If one wanted to know what the man was truly thinking, then he was thinking of yesterday's events, the letter sent by the country of Nohr, requesting a meeting to discuss a treaty of some sort. He thought of Ryoma, his eldest son, who was attending the whole treaty with him. He thought of his wife, her pretty face filled with worry and distrust. He thought of the meeting itself, wondering what possibilities would Nohr suggest in the treaty. All of this he was thinking; all of this currently occupying his mind.

"Lord Sumeragi?"

The man turns at the call of his name. Lelas stood there, waiting. "The detachment of soldiers you ordered is awaiting for yours and your son Prince Ryoma."

Sumeragi nodded, "Thank you Lelas."

"Also, Queen Mikoto is requesting for you to come to the dining room for breakfast."

"I should go do that. Thank you, Lelas. Stand by with the detachment."

"Yes sir." He nods. "I shall see you after breakfast."

Lelas leaves, taking the large set of stairs down in quick, small steps. Sumeragi watches him leave until the man reaches the bottom, before he enters back into the gaping mouth of the kingdom and to where his family was waiting.

* * *

"_**Uhh." **_

_ **Kamui groans. Eyes rapidity blinking as she shuts and opens his eyes at milliseconds. He opens and closes, trying to blink away fatigue and sleep. ** _

_ **How long was he asleep anyway?** _

_ **Did it matter? He often woke up anyway. Sleep never came back to him often when he woke up. Catching more of it seemed impossible, at least to him.** _

_ **Opening his ruby eyes and unveiling, his line of vision comes across nothing.** _

_ **Absolutely nothing. A blackness that crept all over. A dark hole that swallowed everything in its . No light of any sort pierced through it, and didn't seem to if one tried to. Kamui tried to discern anything from the black void but nothing. As far as he was concerned, everything was in a black void and he was its only inhabitant, occupant, and prisoner.** _

"_**It's such a shame…"**_

_ **Kamui's eyes snapped up. Was that someone speaking? He searches wildly around. "Hello?" He calls out. "Who are you? Can you hear me?"** _

"_**So young yet so much untamed and untrained power."**_

_ **The deep gravelly voice rings out of the darkness, ignoring Kamui's questions. In the dark, empty void, it reminded Kamui that he wasn't the only visitor in the vicinity. The unknown newcomer had appeared, not by body but by voice. It wasn't his family or anybody else he knew.** _

_ **He tries again, "Hello? Where am I? Who are you?" He swallows the saliva in his throat. "Can you come out?"** _

_ **Kamui searches around again in a fruitless attempt. His eyes scanned each vicinity of darkness thoroughly, yet he cannot find the owner of the voice. It remained hidden, and Kamui couldn't see what didn't want to be seen. ** _

"_**All that power. It's such a shame it isn't being put to use."**_

_ **Kamui felt his stomach freeze. The voice's tone took a sinister and delightful tone as he shuddered. What was going on? Power? What power? He answered, confused, by the vague answers, He tried calling out again, "Hello?"** _

"_**Both you and your sister. They stunt your growth." The voice again, ignoring his questions and commenting cryptically. **_

_ **Fear. It was the same feeling whenever he felt when Hinoka found him doing something he shouldn't be doing. He catches the voice saying something about his sister. What sister? Corrin, Hinoka, or Sakura? Who? What was going on? Why was whoever this was doing this?** _

"_**Hello? Who are you? What are you talking about?" Kamui tried one last time. **_

_ **A moment of silence passes, Kamui feels his heart drumming in his chest. The ebbing throb in his head. His breathing coming out faintly and in quick gasps. He barely managed to catch the words as they entered into the void, faint.** _

"_**You're mine boy. You soon will be."**_

Kamui's eyes snapped open, his mouth opened into a silent gasp. His eyes scanned around the room, looking for who said that. His heart beating multiple times he swore it would thump out of his chest. He was barely aware he was still gasping until the pounding of his chest and head confirms it.

Nothing. Kamui looks across from his bed see Corrin still sleeping.

Just what was that dream? Some man saying mine forever… Who was that man anyway?

"Strange dream." He muttered. He deduced that the only explanation was hearing too many stories from their father.

Father… Speaking of which… Kamui blinked. He sworn that he had a plan today with Corrin that involved their father and Ryoma…

He springs up on his bed mattress. Of course! How could he have forgotten? Father and Ryoma were going out today!

_Wait, what time is it? _

Kamui looks out the window to see the bright light from the sun outside. His eyes widen, and he cursed under his breath.

_They were late!_

Oh no, oh no, oh no.

Kamui hastily went over to his sister's bed. "Corrin, wake up!" He hissed urgently.

No response. Corrin was still sleeping, her breathing soft. "Corrin!"

Corrin gave a groaning whine. "Uhhmmm… urrghh…"

Kamui shook her, "Corrin!"

Corrin buried herself deeper, "Uhhh." She blinks her squinted eyes. "Stop yelling. Let me sleep." She turns over.

"Corrin!" He shakes her again. Roughly.

"Uhhhhmm… whattt?" She looks up at him with her squinted eyes, slightly twitching.

"We have to go!"

"What? Go where?" She yawned.

"Don't you know what we're going to do today? What we talked about yesterday?"

Corrin stares at her brother with still barely opened eyes, a sliver of ruby gazing up at him, taking a few seconds to try and figure out what he's saying. Then her eyes snap open completely. "Oh yeah! We're gonna sneak away with Papa and Ryoma!"

"Well, we're late! Hurry and get up!"

"Wait, We're late?"

"Yes! That's what I just said!"

"What? How?! What time is it?! Are they gone?!"

"I don't know! They might have…" The boy trails off. His eyes were wide in realization and he buries his face in his hands. "No. No. _No_."

"Kamui?"

He turned away from her, looking at the auburn walls of their room, embarrassed.

Corrin felt something similar to suspicion and concern crawl up in her gut at her brother's sudden muteness. "Kamui? What time is it?"

Her white haired twin looked bashful, his face slightly flush, yet still filled with embarrassment. He fiddled with the corner of his sister's blanket.

"I, um…"

Corrin narrowed her gaze. "Kamui?"

He flicks his eyes up, "What?"

"Tell me what time is it?"

"I…" He trails off. "It's…"

Corrin felt annoyance build in her, "C'mon! Tell me what time is it right now!"

Kamui couldn't handle the pressure anymore. He cracked under it and caved, gave in. "Alright, alright! I slept late! I forgot to wake up early to wake you up and that's why I'm saying we're late! It's my fault!" He got off the bed and began to pace, walking back and forth.

Coffin blinked. He… he slept late. It would explain why they were late, but it did not answer every question. She still didn't know what the time was. "What time is it then?" She needed to know.

He stopped pacing and looked at her, then to the floor. "Seven, close to eight AM."

"What time does Papa and Ryoma wake up?"

He mutters something unintelligible.

"What?"

"I said six AM. They always woke up that time for work."

Six AM… Kamui also said now that it was late at Seven and close to eight… About almost two hours. Corrin felt her own stomach drop. _No. _They couldn't be. "Does that mean…?"

Kamui returned the sad look, the look of devastation hanging. "They might be gone already? I think so…"

Silence hung between them. Both siblings; one standing, one sitting. Unable to believe their cruel fate. Despite all their planning, regardless of their excitement, it seemed all of that was swept away in an instant.

Corrin felt unhappiness and denial well up. So was that it then? That was it? The two mix, making a bitter feeling she couldn't ignore.

All the plans and scheming to go with Ryoma and their father were gone in an instant…

Because of her brother.

Corrin looked up at him. It _was _Kamui's fault. Despite him being the one to plan for them to leave, he was also the one responsible for not waking up early and being late. He was the one responsible for their brother and father leaving. She narrowed her gaze at him, expecting her anger and disappointment to rise.

But couldn't.

She couldn't find herself to snap angrily at her brother. She couldn't. Yes, he may have been responsible for the plan-his plan-failing, but she couldn't find herself to be angry at him. Only just sadness instead, and maybe perhaps some form of disappointment at the situation.

Kamui just turns away, his own disappointment visible and following with, trailing from his face. He goes to the door. "I guess you can go back to sleep then. You know, since we missed it and all."

Corrin nodded, yet something didn't feel right. She didn't know. Yes, they may have missed and their plan entirely ruined, but something was still off. Corrin thought of what they said yesterday, what her brother planned for the both of them. She rummages through her head, then calls, "Wait, Kamui!"

He turns, disappointment still evident. "What?"

"Didn't you say you would check outside the windows of the hallway yesterday?"

Kamui pauses, thinking. He then nods, "Yeah? So?"

No. Corrin didn't believe there was any hope left for them but they had to try. They _had _to. One final attempt and that was it. The plans already ruined and forgotten and they were stuck in the infinite boredom of the kingdom. "Did you check them?"

Her brother blinks, "What's the point? Why are you asking? There's no point. They're gone."

"What?"

"What's the point?" He repeats. "What's the point in checking them? Our plans are ruined. Papa and Ryoma are already gone."

"You don't know that! Do you?" She sighs. "Did you check outside the windows?"

"There's no point in doing so. I messed up. Papa and Ryoma wake up at six for work and we missed it. We missed our chance to go out and hide away."

"That doesn't mean you can just not check! They may be gone…" She ignored her brother's cries of "they are!" "But that doesn't mean you can't decide not to check."

"They're gone." He stated flatly. "It doesn't matter."

"Cmon… just check, okay?"

"But…"

"Check!"

He still looked adamant, but relented. He might as well check just to prove they're gone. He didn't even know why Corrin was asking or insisting; they're gone, so his plan failed and they couldn't leave.

"Fine. But you're coming with."

"What?"

"Yeah. You're coming with."

Corrin blinked at the demand. Considering she had been the one to remind Kamui of one of their parts of the plan, it seemed fair.

"Okay. But…" Corrin lowered her eyes.

"What?"

"Look at our clothes."

"What about them? There's nothing wrong with…" Kamui looked down at himself, then to his sister, and realized what his sister was talking about. "Ah."

Kamui's clothes were rumpled and he hadn't changed out of them to his sleeping clothes. It seemed he forgot last night, too excited and his attention entirely focused on their plans for today. Corrin was in her small nightdress. Change first, then leave.

* * *

Kamui and Corrin bolted out of their rooms and down the halls of the castle in new clothes. Racing past the marble busts of statues and various other objects, their attention was primarily focused on attempting to discover if there was soldiers situated and milling about around the area within radius of the castle or its vicinity, as if there were, then it meant that Ryoma and their father were still here, which also meant that they haven't left yet and finally meant that their plan was still in action and not at all ruined and a complete failure.

The two went through the halls of the castle and took a left, going down the same path they took last night when they went attempting to figure out what their parents and older brother were speaking of. They barely glance at the conference room, left unoccupied and empty. Table and chairs left sitting in the same position as it was the day before, as if no one occupied the room at all and had been using it. The chairs, they remembered seeing through the small peephole, had been moved, by Ryoma last night, scooting his chair closer to figure out his parent's words. Sumeragi has adjusted his chair's slightly so the comparison was barely noticeable.

The two siblings pauses to think for a moment, staring. Ultimately, it would not do them any favors just being indecisive, and they, or rather, Corrin, were considering the option anyway. They entered the room, and shut the doors behind them.

Kamui was adamant and sure of himself. There was no point in continuing to search for soldiers, and the area ahead. Father, Ryoma, and a bunch of silver armored people called soldiers were gone, likely already to the destination of the Bottomless Canyon. Thus, he decided he wasn't going to check, but ended up doing so anyway to humor his sister just to prove himself.

Parting the blinds and letting the sunlight come in, the two wince as the harsh rays assaulted their vision. Pushing the curtains slightly in just enough to let them see, but also block the rays.

With a blank look, Kamui scans over from their vantage point from the castle to the bottom of the steps below. "See? Nothing. They're gone. No soldiers Papa was speaking of. There isn't even that Lelas person."

Corrin frowned, "You aren't even trying."

"I don't need to. There's no need to waste time." Kamui shook his head. "Forget it, Corrin. Let's just go. It doesn't matter anymore."

And, to her shock, he begins to walk off, heading to the door.

Corrin's expression turned livid, "You're just gonna give up like that?"

Kamui stares at the floor, "You know as much I do that it's my fault. I didn't wake up early."

Corrin hates this. She felt her anger grow. She felt her head swimming with angry thoughts and she begins to boil.

"They're gone because of me."

Corrin felt her rage bubbling up. Her insides flared, burning.

She glared at her brother, who expertly crafted, started, concocted their entire plan. Who she trusted more because he thought of ideas she would never think of and how lacking it was, and even if she did develop and crafted one, it would never hold a candle to her brother's own. That's what she liked about him. His willingness to plan things out accordingly from scratch, weigh in every possible factor and scenario, and from there, figure out the best possible action to take after the consideration of the factors.

Hearing him admit defeat so easily, giving up and surrender, made her feel anger unlike anything she felt before. Not even his stupid pranks or his mean teasing of her being scared of bugs didn't make her feel this way. Kamui's plans did fail, but often because they had a flaw that was found out and exploited, or perhaps poor choices and decision making from them. His plans were never perfect, but rarely did any ever plan was.

She expected herself to snap at her brother. She expected herself to shout at him for surrending. Her anger reached its point of climax, exploding and sending many furious words out.

But couldn't.

But as angry as she may get, Kamui was right. She looks out the window longer, hoping to see any figures, but none. They all seem to be gone.

Corrin has no choice but to accede to the fact presented. "Fine. Let's go back."

Giving one last look at the outside of the castle, she slowly averted her eyes away, turning it into the corner, and from a small line of grey.

Wait. Grey?

Corrin whipped her head back to the window. No, it couldn't possibly be… but was it?

It was. She didn't believe it. Yet it was there.

She was looking at a single soldier walking down the tall steps. The grey thin figure takes the steps down.

Corrin felt her own downcast emotions change, and in place, happiness emerged from the replaced emotion. Papa and Ryoma were not gone yet, their plans for leaving were still intact!

She had to tell him!

Kamui was about to turn and twist the handle knob and push it open, until Corrin shouted for him, "Kamui, wait!"

The boy looked back, "What?"

"There's a soldier from Papa over there at the steps. They're not gone, they're still here! I'm looking at them right now!"

The reaction was instantaneous: She watches as Kamui froze, his hand going slack and releasing the handle.

Turning, he looks hesitatingly over at her face and to the window, "They're not gone?" Kamui's expression held still disappointment and sadness, yet a hopeful expression.

"Yeah, come look!"

Kamui comes to the window, scanning out of the square glass. Coffin pointed: the figure was almost gone now, but Kamui was just able to make out a small grey figure in the distance.

He however then could only stare in disbelief, gaping. "The soldier is there? That meant…"

"Yup! Papa and Ryoma aren't gone yet!"

Kamui blinked a few times. The revelation of just seeing the soldier out on the window of the castle, which meant that their father and brother hadn't left yet was still settling in his head. "They're not gone." Which meant…

Kamui didn't know what happened next, but in the moment Corrin was in his arms and he was picking her up in a hug. It was all thanks to her. Because of her insistence to check, because it itself, their plan was still in motion. Their plan would still be carried out, thanks to her. It was not ruined.

Corrin squealed as her brother scooped her up and wrapped his arms tightly around her in a hug, "Kamui!"

Kamui was too elated and too excited and too happy. Laughter rang out. Pure happiness from the sound. He barely catches that it was his own, and then his sister is laughing, and both are celebrating.

The two bask in their victory once again. Relishing the victory that came with the revelation. The two were as happy and as proud as they can be.

Eventually, all things come to an end. And so did the laughter of happiness and the celebration of the two, for they had caught themselves breathless.

Kamui is no longer laughing, but the grin-one filled with joy-was wide and prevalent. "Our plan can still work! Papa and Ryoma aren't gone!"

Corrin shares his sentiment, matching his with her own. "Yeah."

"We can still go!" Kamui cheerfully states. "Alright!"

Yes, they can still sneak away. They can still go.

In fact… shouldn't they go right now? With their plan to leave not entirely ruined after all, shouldn't they go right now, just to not repeat the mistake again?

"Kamui?"

"Yeah?"

"Shouldn't we go now?" Corrin tilts her head to the window and mainly the outside of the castle, indicating. "Because… you know."

What was… Oh. Yep. She was absolutely right.

"You're right! Let's go now! They might leave some time soon so we have to go now!" Kamui heads to the door, then pauses only after opening it slightly, remembering. "Umm… thanks sis. For trying to keep making me check. We probably wouldn't have gone out if you didn't tell keep telling me I should."

Corrin smiles, moving alongside her brother. "You needed that." The door was completely opened, revealing them to the hallways and walls. "Now hurry up. Let's go. They might leave soon."

She sprints down the hallways, Kamui trailing her. "Hey! Wait for me!"

* * *

The clattering and clinking of plates and glasses were loud in the dining room, but in comparison, were nothing to the chatter. The sounds of plates and glasses were lost and ignored to the sounds of chattering as the Hoshidian family chatted and in some cases, bickering too.

Ryoma watches with mild disinterest and distractedly at Takumi and Hinoka bickering about something. Poking at the eggs on his plate, the eldest son of Sumeragi was distracted; his appetite for food was also gone at the moment. His thoughts set into an entirely different place as he eats, but slowly.

He was unsure of himself. And he knew exactly why it came, the source and reason of the doubt.

Yesterday and the evening, Ryoma had been sure of himself. He was confident of him being present at the treaty destination at Bottomless Canyon, believing that he was ready to prove himself that he would be like and just like his father. He believed the negotiation would help prove his worth and to show his father that he was worthy of being king.

The day from today morning brought clarity and the bitter taste of realization-like fruit-that yesterday could never had wrought, and Ryoma was left reeling from the self doubt, tasting the bitter fruit of clarity; side effect being self doubt. Even worse, the treaty was today.

He didn't think that he was ready. He didn't think he could ever hope to match his father's expectations of him. His father was strict, but kind and fair. He didn't pressure him in any sort but Ryoma still felt the weight of it upon his shoulders. It felt high, even though it wasn't.

Am I ready? Does father think I'm ready?

Ryoma couldn't help but feel these thoughts. The bickering between Takumi and Hinoka fades away as the prince is entrapped within his own thoughts. The more he stared down at his plate of food, the more these thoughts became prevalent.

He wasn't.

He wasn't ready. All the work he did with his father. All what they did together. It didn't matter. What his father did would take years even. Ryoma had barely covered the scope of what his father accomplished.

The treaty brought him happiness and elation, but then afterwards brought doubt.

Sumeragi chatted with his wife, finishing his own plate of eggs and standing up. "I believe we should leave now. The detachment outside is no doubt waiting for me." He calls out to his son, "Ryoma? Takumi? Hinoka?"

The two younger siblings respond, moving around the table to their father. Ryoma sat there, however, staring at his plate. "Ryoma?"

He didn't respond, still staring at his empty plate. Wait. Empty? He must've finished eating but didn't recognize his plate was empty because he was too in his thoughts.

"Ryoma?"

What was the point of going again? To learn of his father's negotiations with other countries but also treaties, that would later be beneficial in the future. Of course that was the answer. It was his answer and his father's answer.

"Ryoma?"

But what was the point? How could he ever match his father's expectations? He was just a prince still learning from his father, who had knowledge of everything Ryoma still only had a basic understanding of.

"Ryoma?"

Self doubt was a disease that spread. It fills the person from the inside, underneath the skin. From the outside, it seemed to appear that everything was fine with that person. There was nothing troubling them. But peel away that layer and many of the person is revealed, like a naked person underneath all the clothes they wore. Ryoma tried to rid himself of it but it was too much.

Maybe it was best he didn't go.

"Ryoma!"

A loud sound often redirects people's attention, turning them away from their focus on one thing to another. It worked more often than not. In such a case as this, Ryoma was snapped out, all of his thoughts of self doubt going away.

The boy nearly flinches, looking up, "Yes?"

"We're about to leave soon. We should go out right now." He casts a concerned look. "Are you alright?"

Ryoma looked at him, then to his siblings and mother, casting similar looks. Did he worry them? He thinks back to his thoughts.

_It was still there. It went away. Yes. But it was still there, waiting for the chance to return. Some time sooner or later, he didn't know. _

"I'm fine." That was his only answer. He didn't want to worry them, but he did. "Just thinking about the treaty meeting near the border." It wasn't an entire lie. He was technically thinking about the meeting.

Words of reassurance and what he's thinking about would help, right?

_Except the treaty isn't what you're entirely thinking about; it's on your doubts. Your preservations._

Surprisingly for the eldest son, it was his younger brother Takumi who spoke first. "It's fine, Ryoma. It's just a meeting anyway. You're gonna go and follow Papa to the place." The smile turned into a frown. "Though it makes no sense why you can go but we can't. It's boring around the castle!"

The words of reassurance quickly turned into a complaint as he looked up at his older family members. "Why can't we go too?"

Hinoka shook her head, "We can't go because we don't have any idea of the treaty meeting. And Mama said we can't go either way."

He looked affronted and thoroughly unconvinced. If anything, it made him more outraged at the situation. "So? So what if we don't know anything about the treaty? I don't care about that. I want to go out and see stuff." He looked away, "If Kamui and Corrin were here, I'm sure they would agree with me too. They wouldn't care and they would still try to leave."

Hinoka sighed. To be fair, he had a point. And to be honest, she wished she would come with Ryoma too, regardless of the treaty, but their mother said they couldn't come, and so they couldn't.

Mikoto sighed as well, though she had her own reservations as to why. She wanted her children to go out and enjoy, having enough time to simply have fun and explore and being children. Ryoma was already following in Sumeragi's footsteps and stopped playing with his younger siblings a while back. She wanted her children to explore and simply have fun and be children before they grow up like their oldest brother. Hinoka was nearly reaching the age and in no time soon would she soon begin to work, leaving only Kamui, Corrin, and Takumi. She had helped somewhat in both their father's and brother's work. and learned a bit. Sakura, the youngest of the family, would grow into a young girl with no one to play with, possibly Takumi; Kamui and Corrin would follow their older siblings in work, barely scraping time to play with their youngest sibling before they were gone. Takumi would follow his older siblings afterwards, leaving only Sakura.

They would leave their childhood behind, not forced to but because of circumstances regarding. All their games of tag and hide and seek forgotten, nothing more than memories for reminiscing and remembering. Mikoto wishes they had more time, and it was her only regret and guilt. For her children deserves to have as much of their childhood as possible before it was snuffed out. And Sakura, for she would grow up with almost none of her siblings to play with. Mikoto looks down to the baby in her arms, gurgling and still innocent. Then she blinks, remembering what Takumi said.

"Where is Kamui and Corrin?"

The bickering between Takumi and Hinoka stops. Everyone turns to face her as Hinoka answers, "I think they're still sleeping. That is strange though. Kamui would usually be awake at this time."

Mikoto wasn't sure, but she also wanted her other two children to be here when they were going to say goodbye to their brother and father. "I don't know… Hinoka?"

"Yes, Mama?"

"Can you go to their rooms, and if they are asleep, go and wake them?"

"Yes Mama. I'll come back with them." She was off.

The remaining family watches her go off to her two younger siblings, then Sumeragi turns to the rest of his family. "Suppose we should go right now?"

"We should."

The dining room was left abandoned after it was finished, leaving empty plates of food behind, as the family departs for outside the castle.

* * *

Hinoka walks down through the castle and her siblings's room, mainly Kamui's and Corrin's, to fulfill the task given and wake them up to say goodbye to their father and brother, for they were leaving today.

She thought back to what their father and brother announced during breakfast. That what they had to leave today for dinner last evening to discuss with a soldier. Takumi was mildly upset and annoyed, which was why she was arguing with Takumi though if she was honest, she herself, was both slightly upset but also knew why. Both Kamui and Corrin weren't at breakfast and weren't told of their father's and brother's sudden departure, which if they were upset, then she really couldn't have blamed them.

It was Ryoma's, their father, and their mother's fault. If they were fair, they should have told them after the meeting was done with yesterday and dinner, not wait until today.

She shook her head of the thoughts as she approached her sibling's room. It wouldn't help her to be negative. Takumi was somewhat bitter already, and she would need to find some way to make them less when Kamui and Corrin were too.

Knocking on the door, she called out, "Kamui? Corrin? Wake up. It's morning!"

She waits for a few seconds for them to answer, but finds none. "Kamui? Corrin?"

Nothing again. Silence answered her knocking. She tries a different approach, "Kamui? It's morning! Are you still sleeping? If you're awake, then wake up your sister!"

Her only answer yet again was silence. Hinoka sighs. Jiggling the door handle, she was left surprised as it opened slightly. It wasn't locked? No. That couldn't be. Both locked the door at night when sleeping.

Hinoka stares at the slightly ajar and opened door, then pushed it in, revealing the inside. Two opposing beds from opposite sides, the sheets were hastily tossed aside. "Kamui? Corrin?" Were they hiding?

She turns to the washroom. They couldn't possibly be hiding in there, could they? She swung the doors open to the washroom. Looking inside, she saw nothing. Towels hung from a rack and a mirror above the sink. Ontop the sink were toothbrushes and glass cups, but nothing. The washroom was empty just like their room.

If they weren't here in their room, then where on earth were they?

* * *

"Kamui, I'm hungry."

"Be quiet."

Both Kamui and Corrin were knelt down to their knees as they crawled and ambled around the large number of soldiers spread out. Beneath a row of bushes, they were for what many would consider to be invisible and unnoticed.

"Why didn't we eat breakfast before we go?" Corrin whined. She was clearly unhappy with the decision not to eat before they went, thinking that they should have ate before they went with their plan.

Kamui studies the field of soldiers chatting amiably and the horse carriages, studying each of them to which would let him and Corrin hide in without any fear of being noticed. They would need a carriage with a large amount of items to hide and encase them completely in but also not such a large amount that they would make any noise that would be detected by hearing. "Maybe you should have thought of that before we went checking. And it's too late anyway. If we go back, Papa, Mama, or others will notice us."

Corrin was still unconvinced however. She shot back with another reason. "We can go back right now. Just get some food and quickly come back. If they notice us, then we can say we were just walking around the market."

He shook his head in response at the suggestion, "We can do that…"

"But what? Why are you shaking your head then?" She was confused. It worked, didn't it? Why was he shook his head no?

"But that would ruin our chance of hiding away." Looking over the field, he studies them with a narrowed ruby gaze again, studying them. "We need to hide away without them noticing, and this is the only way it can work. We try it another way, we might lose our chance of hiding away."

Corrin thought of what her brother said. His words have proven to be true. His plans were nearly foiled ironically by himself. Not by the flaw in the plan but by him not waking up earlier and believing their brother and father to be already gone. Kamui, by her insistence, proved to be incorrect and their brother and father weren't gone yet. But there was that chance; the slim possible chance that had just inexplicably appeared just to ruin it: that their father and brother might have been gone.

Corrin resisted the urge to think any further about it. It would only bring negative thoughts and they didn't need that right now. Right now, they needed positivity and a plan to hide. The only step and yet it wasn't so simple after all.

"Did you find any carriage to hide in?"

Kamui scans the field with his ruby gaze over and over, like a person reading a passage or sentence in a book over and over, or like a person studying it. His face morphs into a frustrated expression, "It's impossible! None of the carriages are good! We can't hide in any of them because of the stuff in them! There's either too much for us to fit in or too little that we'll be found!"

Corrin looks over the field like her brother and found he was right. None of them seemed to be good. They all had a flaw in them that would cause an issue to apper and leave them fully exposed.

Kamui began to lament, "At this point, Papa and Ryoma are going to leave some time soon! We'll never find a good carriage and hide away by then!"

Corrin turns from her brother and back to the field. He was right. Papa and Ryoma would come out soon and they would never hide away. Their plans would be foiled, only this time it would succeed because there was no good hiding spot.

Corrin desperately looks at the field. A quick run through of it. She barely catches one from the corner of her eye. "Kamui, look!"

His eyes snap up, "Huh?"

She points, "Look at the carriage over there. The one Papa said that soldier called "Lelas" and the horses are taking!"

Kamui looks where she points and he saw it. The carriage Lelas and the horses were pushing. The soldier sitting on one of the horses, giving a quick whip to the reins, and the horses continued to push the carriage until it came to a halt. Lelas got up and off one of the horses and turned to the nearest kin of soldiers. They began to discuss something. They turned to look up at the massive castle, before Lelas said something to them, walking up the steps and waving.

Kamui barely spares the departing man a glance. "I can only see the front. We have to go around it to check and see if it's good."

The two sneak around undetected and unnoticed, still protected and covered by the thick leaves of the bushes adjacent to each other. As soon as they were around the rear, Kamui craned his head to see and he nearly shouted in joy.

It was. The carriage was a perfect fit and exactly what he had been looking for. The contents of items n there were just enough to cover them from being noticed.

Kamui could barely contain his joy at finding a perfect carriage, and he relayed most of it at Corrin. "Corrin, it's perfect!"

She studies in between the cracks and empty holes of the bushes, "It is?" She grins, finding the rear open space quickly and coming to the same conclusion. "It is!"

He cheekily grins, "Yep! Now all we have to do is find an opening for us to hide in."

She stares puzzled, "Why not now?" Kamui only pointed at the soldiers walking to and fro aimlessly around the surrounding area. "Oh. It's covered by Papa's soldiers."

Kamui nods, studying the field again with a narrowed gaze. "We need an opening. There's too many people right now, and we need to get into the back without any of them finding us."

Corrin looks up at an area near the flight of stairs and her face pales at the sight of it, "Umm… Kamui?"

Kamui doesn't turn to face her. He was still studying the field with a methodical and calculating expression, "What?" He mumbles distractingly.

"Look." She points up at the large flight of stairs.

Kamui looks up and his expression instantly melts into a shared expression with his sister. "Ah shoot. No!"

It was their father, mother, and their brothers: Ryoma and Takumi, walking down the stairs. Lelas is also with them, trailing besides the small group. The two note that Hinoka is not with them, but it didn't matter. Their heart is asunder with fear.

Corrin was the first to express it. She looks to her brother. "Kamui, what do we do, what do we do?!"

Calmness was considered in most part a good emotion. By being calm, one's decision making is vastly improved, allowing them to make a logical and reasonable decision or choice. But right now, the snow haired boy was anything but calm right now, and instead of being calm, he was beginning to panic. Why were they here?! Why right now?! They had just found the perfect carriage to hide in and get away! "Hold on, hold on, wait!" He whispers urgently as they crouched low.

A loud booming voice emerges from the steps. Demanding attention, it swelled in size for all those in the vicinity to hear. Every head snapped to attention at the voice, the owner of the voice, and both Kamui and Corrin recognizes its their father. They too snap at attention, but from the corner of their eyes, they notice all the soldiers distracted, their attention on their father, and that was the moment they made their move.

"Kamui…"

"I know."

Crawling between the empty spaces and holes between in the adjacent row of bushes, the two silently sneak their way into the carriage. From the rear, Kamui notices the contents within spread out but scattered all over the interior so that it could fit themselves. With a grunt, he pushes himself up and into the carriage. Quickly turning around, he whispers to Corrin, "Come in!"

Corrin mimics his actions, jumping into the rear interior of the carriage. It was spacious enough, and the two release the breaths they didn't realize they were holding.

Kamui didn't believe their luck, and neither could his sister at the moment. _Both_ of them couldn't. With gasps, they echoed out, "We did it." Their hearts were still beating and Corrin fell back against the contents of the carriage, exhausted.

Kamui noticed one of them: a box nearly tipping over and out of the rear and he opened his mouth to warn her. But it was too late. Her back against the objects pushed over one over another, and with a thunk against the cobblestone earth, the box fell out of the carriage, tipping over the edge and out.

Corrin pushes herself away, her eyes widening, and next to her brother, as if she didn't accidentally pushed the box. They held their breaths again, then they hear footsteps.

The fear returns to Kamui's face, along with a look of outrage. "_Corrin!_"

Corrin just wrapped her arms around him in her foolish mistake. Her eyes widened at what she has done. "Oops."

Kamui swore under his breath, "_Stupid…_" The boy looks quickly at his surroundings to see where they can hide again.

He glances quickly at the amassed items. No, they would make too much noise and the soldiers would rifle through them to see who or what was making the noises and they would be found.

From near the cart's front was a large blanket; it reached from one end to the other, that could work. Why didn't he notice it earlier?

It didn't matter. He thought quickly, "Corrin, go to the other side and cover yourself!"

He didn't say anything else more. If he did, then someone from outside might hear them and Kamui didn't want to risk anymore chances. He already found an opening just barely from their father's voice. If Corrin was too slow at this moment and was found, then there was little he could do for her. He wanted to go with their father and brother. They had nearly been denied that chance early in the morning and was not doing so again.

He pushes himself underneath the blanket; thankfully the bottom of the thick, wooly, lengthy cloth draped the floors of the carriage so that it covered his feet. He didn't want to peek out of it to see if his sister was hiding as well.

Then he held his breath.

For a moment, he held his breath, then he hears a thump, the box had landed on a pile of items. "Must've been the wind. Goddamn Lelas. His shit is messed up. How does one not have any sense of organization? Better yet, I don't even think he has one. Just look at the pile of crap he keeps around here with not a sense of what is what. I swear, his carriages contents is going to spill out the entire way we get to the Bottomless Canyon. His fault anyway."

The voice disappears. Kamui waits to ascertain he is gone, heart drumming. Then he unwraps himself from the blanket underneath, "Corrin?" He was barely aware of his voice was a croak.

She pops out of her blanker, "Yeah? Is he gone?"

Kamui was done. He fell against the left side of the carriage, crumbling down to the bottom of the carriage, and covering himself with the items. "Urrmmhh…" The boy groans, rubbing the throbbing in his temple. "Let's just go already."

Corrin felt a small bit of worry bubbling up in her. "Kamui, are you okay?"

A groan was the only response. She rolled her eyes, but then gave a sigh, one that held relief. Yep. He was fine.

* * *

Sumeragi watches the gathering and coalition of soldiers. All of their attention solely focused on him. Taking a deep breath, he watches with trepidation and wariness he knew did not fit his title and role as king. The last time soldiers stood at the bottom of the castle, he discreetly remembered, was when he sent a detachment to investigate the matter of the town that had been destroyed a few years back. The messengers that returned from the sent group had described the gruesome sight in full detail, and Sumeragi could almost see what was said vividly, imagining the sight. The haunted, sick look of some of the messengers's expressions was enough just to prove it was not conceived. Sumeragi didn't believe in any bit they were lying anyway.

Except who destroyed the town.

When discussed with the Hoshidian Council on the topic of what happened to the country, Sumeragi remembers it had been an evening before dinner, they had believed that Nohr had been the one thoroughly responsible for the attack. There was no other perpetrator. Even after the investigation along with the help of Kitsune tribes, they had believed that the country from the west had attacked their own with no warning or reasoning..

As of right now, other than some smaller group sent to discuss with the Kitsune tribe and various other towns of some sorts, Sumeragi rarely did ever send a detachment as large as this, but this was the most he could order to bring. Any more and it would just show that their country didn't trust the rival country in any form; that they were paranoid and extremely distrustful, not believing the treaty to be genuine.

Nothing breeds more distrust between two opposite sides than the large forces of the two.

Sumeragi needed the detachment to prove and show to the rival country that they would take the treaty with non aggression that would ease tensions and with enough face value. Having a large army, or more importantly, bringing one would not prove his intentions. Nohr, especially King Garon of his country, might take the large force as a sign of distrust and wariness. Sumeragi didn't need or want that. For his people and his country and for the sake of the treaty.

This, among many reasons entirely, was why he chose a detachment that was not too large.

The morning breeze came over, brushing across anything soft or smooth. The curtains of the carriages flapped, hair from individual's heads, blew on the clothes of the bearer, and the faint scent of Sakura trees and its petals from miles away reminded Sumeragi that he was still within his country. From behind him, he hears his daughter, bearing the same name as the trees itself, gurgle happily.

Then he addressed his soldiers standing before him.

* * *

This is what it's like to feel like Ryoma right now:

You're barely aware of your father beginning his impassioned speech. His loud, booming commandeering voice rings out like a bell or gong, and all those within the vicinity snap to attention. You wonder how can you ever be like him, how can you live up to the expectations set. Your father and even the councilors. How can you ever match him?

You're barely listening to the topic that your father is speaking of, of the treaty, of the treaty's location, or even of Nohr who asked for the treaty between itself and Hoshido. You look and see many of the soldiers trading glances at each other. Their own collective and respective thoughts are clear: wonder among themselves what Nohr is trying to achieve out of the treaty, or perhaps wondering if Nohr truly wants a peace treaty. Commander Radcliffe comes into the topic by your father and many of the soldiers are glancing at among themselves again, though their attention goes back to your father, drinking in his important words.

Or perhaps something else. Maybe they weren't really thinking of the treaty or the topic of it. Either way, it didn't really matter.

From the corner of your eye, you see your youngest sister beginning to fuss in Mother's arms. She is happily gurgling. It makes you smile, because she is your youngest sister, though it doesn't reach your eyes. You also see Takumi, though he is looking up at the sky with a gaze of boredom, though his gaze flickers down at the soldiers occasionally because it seems why not? He doesn't want to hear this, because he does not care for such things. Lelas is standing off to the side, watching your father and awaiting.

You are aware that you're in deep thought, yet you cannot climb or swim out of it even though you want to, because of your father's crucial words. You knew how you got in, because it just occurred earlier in the morning at the breakfast table and just a few seconds ago. It was like a Riptide current, or a whirlpool, or a cliff of a mountain, or a crevice that a person fell into. You're swimming and climbing, pushing your limbs, exerting them with force and as much as you can to their limits, yet you cannot get out. Because no matter how hard you try, you cannot.

You're beginning to drown in them, until a voice calls out your name. You're snapped out of your thoughts, saved by a voice breaking through and pulling you out. Before you even know it, your father is addressing you to the crowd of soldiers. They stare at you with their variety of eyes. An array of colors of pupils is looking at you.

It makes you nervous, you realize. You also realize that earlier from breakfast and you're drowning again. You've become the center of attention that your father redirected at you. Attention you don't want or need because you do not feel right as of this moment. You feel those eyes staring at you, boring into you, trying to see every bit of your weakness and thoughts you wanted them to be unknown to the world. Now they know. Your thoughts of succeeding your own father is added into the mix and becoming king. You are not ready, because you realize the soldiers are under the command of your father and when you succeed him, you would have to command soldiers too, especially your father's. Soldiers that you worked with at times, but not all, and you feel that they do not trust you. They are not misplaced, because you do not feel ready at all.

The soldiers of your father are nodding at you. While some are just a thin straight line of neutral and placidity, others are smiling. You don't know what they are thinking, it makes you all the more nervous, and you can barely meet your eyes to the crowd's own.

Your father's voice ring out again. The attention on you is gone, replaced back to him, and you feel relieved now that the attention is not on you anymore. You feel his large hand pats your shoulder.

"Ryoma."

You hear the call of your name. It was higher pitched and feminine, tone down to almost a whisper. It was not your father but your mother. You look back at her.

"Are you alright?"

You blink, thinking. Did any other person recognize your plight? You idly glanced at your younger brother, Takumi. He was still watching the clouds. Was it only your mother then, because she knew? She saw through you and saw your insecurities.

You open your mouth to reassure her, because who wouldn't? "I'm fine, mother." You hear yourself tell her. "I'm alright."

But you weren't. You were not right at all.

And she knew, the look on her face. You didn't want to worry her but now you _did. _"Ryoma, you looked as if… as if you were nervous." She explains, thoroughly unconvinced of your reassurance. She leaned towards her oldest son, _you_, wanting to know. "Is something the matter?"

_There is. Something is wrong, mother. _You think. You desperately want to say to her, to confide in her your worries and your thoughts. You want to confess them, because you know she knew you aren't feeling right and you know it too and you don't want to deal with this anymore. She would make you feel better, because she is your mother.

Instead, what words pop out instead is a lie. A lie you never intended to say, yet you say them anyhow. You can't take them back.

"There's nothing. I'm fine."

_No, I'm not. I don't feel right about this, mother. _

She narrows her eyes, "Don't lie to me, Ryoma."

_I'm sorry, mother. It's just that… it's just that I'm working with father. He is bringing me to the treaty and this entire work... How am I supposed to be like father? I feel that he is expecting highly of me and so is other people! I'm going to be king and I feel that he and others are expecting me to be like him! What if I don't meet their expectations? What if they hate or don't like me? What am I supposed to do?_

You never got to say those words. You didn't get the chance to. The sound of footsteps echoed from the marmoreal and shiny floors from into the gaping open mouth of the castle and out where you were able to hear them. You see red and Hinoka is here. You notice too that Takumi also turns to see.

Mother is the first one to speak. "Hinoka, sweetie, you're here! What took you so long?" She glances into the mouth and into the bottomless pit of hallways into the castle, expecting. "Where is Kamui and Corrin? Were they in their room? Where are they?"

Hinoka looks up at their father, then back to her. "They're not there. I tried finding them around the castle. They're not anywhere in there. They're gone."

"What?! They're not in their rooms? Where they could be?" Your mother begins to worry. "Did they go out somewhere? Were they hiding somewhere? In their rooms?" None of them saw either of the two, so where could they be?

"They weren't in their rooms. I looked around and checked. I looked all around but they weren't in the castle anywhere." Hinoka shifted her gaze to outward of where the castle faced. A large vast landscape of cobblestone earth and grassland and the market square below. If they weren't in the castle, then they were somewhere out there. But wouldn't Kamui and Corrin-either of the two-tell then where they were going before they headed out?

You yourself look over the landscape yourself. From below, the soldiers begin to move again. There was nothing more being said from father. The speech you realized, has ended and you and your father were beginning to leave. Lelas, the soldier and messenger, has gone down the flight of steps to prepare for his own departure with the contingent. From the man's belt was secured and attached a short sword inside a sheath that concealed the weapon. Did the man change his weapons or did he always had a short sword?

Takumi pipes up, looking over the landscape outside. "They're probably out at the square or fields. We can go look for them."

Mother nods, agreeing to the statement. "Takumi, Hinoka. May you please go search for them?"

You agreed, "I'll come search for them too!" You were about to leave, and if you and your other siblings split up, it would make the search for your two other younger siblings more quick and easier task before you and father left.

She disagrees however. "You're staying here, Ryoma."

"What? Why? Mother, Father and myself are going to leave soon." You were suddenly perplexed and confused at your mother's insistence and refusal not to let you go. "We have to go find them."

She nodded, affirming. "That's right. But you said you were leaving soon with your father soon." Turning to her two other children, she says, "Takumi, Hinoka. Can you find both Kamui and Corrin right now?"

Your two younger siblings trade glances, but they don't object. "It's fine, Ryoma. We can find them easily." She looked over to Takumi. "Let's go, Takumi."

Before you can object (why would you? You are shocked at the idea of toying and considering it), you watch as they trail down the steps and into the distant landscape. The soldiers are dispersed and are idly standing by chatting with each other, nothing but to pass the remaining time. Others are checking over their weapons and carriages just before they depart. From farther down to the right side, Lelas was at his own carriage, chatting with soldiers nearby himself.

"Ryoma?"

You look up at your own mother, wondering. She casts her grey gaze down at you. She kneels down to your level, your stature, Sakura is still in her arms. "What is wrong?"

There is nervousness, nervousness indeed, and you cannot meet your mother's eyes. You know why, and you try to but you cannot. You try to will yourself to; force your sight up to hers, but you can't. You can't because you don't want to. You feel you don't want to.

You also want to explain why, but you can't.

Words come out. A jumble of a lie that you didn't want or will it to come out, yet it came out of your mouth either way. "It's nothing, mother."

Her brows slid down in a narrow, closing into each other, the corners of her mouth following suit. "Ryoma…"

You knew she hated lying. Your younger siblings have often done that enough for her to be intolerable of false conceptions. But any parent would have hated lying from a child of theirs anyway. Yet you are lying right now. Because you don't want her to see your weakness. Because you don't want to feel weak. Because you don't want to worry her.

Yet she knew, and you wanted to avoid it. An ironic desperation of you wanting her help. Yet you cannot face it head on because you only want to avoid it. A right and a wrong doesn't breed any right at all. Two opposite ends do not attract or mix.

"I…" You didn't realize that it was you who said and trailed off.

Her slight irritation at your lie is gone, replaced with motherly concern. "Ryoma, please tell me. What is wrong? What is bothering you?" She leans closer, embracing you, careful not to crush Sakura in between both you and her. "Please."

The next thing you know, you're speaking the truth. You know it's the truth because it is and it's what you're thinking. You know it's the truth because it doesn't sting you like a lie would, but you feel weak. You feel weak because the truth hurts in a way you can't describe or imagine it. You are not looking up at her, you are not meeting her gaze. Yet you are confessing. You are confessing because it was your mother's words of concern that had brought you up to this.

"I'm sorry, mother. It… it's that…!" You finally break free of the chains that bound you. You look up and her and spill your words into a whisper. "How am I supposed to be like father?"

"What do you mean?" Her words were soothing, in a sense alluring. Her soft voice comforted you and you could see why both Kamui and Corrin often hugged their mother. They craved her love and could not resist. It was a drug that made you high, yet it had no drawbacks. There was no consequence of sort to taking it. "Please, Ryoma. Explain. Tell your mother what is wrong." She brings you into the tasteful drug.

"It's… it's about the meeting." You don't bother to try and hide your hesitation. But why would you? She is your mother and you are revealing and confessing to her.

She is patient. You spill your words out to her, your confession of your weakness and worries. But she questions about your meeting, because she knows you wanted to be at the treaty of Hoshido and Nohr. It was your desire, after all. "What of the meeting, Ryoma?" Her voice was soft and yet so damn alluring.

A silence passes as she processes your confession. You are nervous and you have every right to be. What would she say? Finally, she speaks, "Oh Ryoma.., why didn't you say something earlier?"

She wasn't accusing. Merely asking. You knew she wasn't accusing you, but you felt she did. You felt that she would condemn you for your behavior. "I didn't know what to say." It was more than that. "I thought…" You trail off, ashamed of your weakness and unknowing of what to say next, but relief for confessing your worries. You could confide in your mother. There was nothing for you to worry about, because all felt right within the world.

All felt right when you are revealing your secrets to your mother.

The next words that she said, however, that made you feel anxiousness well up in you because it was _your _weakness revealed on her lips.

"You believe you have to be like your father? Is that what your father is expecting of you?"

You nod mutely. Your mother had put the exact explanation out what you confessed. There was no other way to say the explanation, because that was the only possible way. The blunt truth.

She brings you in. You smell the scent on her; the sweet perfume of Sakura trees and the flowers that was well known around the kingdom of everywhere within the kingdom. The bump in between was your youngest sister, and she was a baby.

You mumble into her. "I'm sorry." Why were you apologizing? Was it because you felt this way? You couldn't help yourself. Yet you felt that all this conflict you had was because you couldn't control yourself.

"_Oh, Ryoma_. You don't have to apologize."

You didn't. But it didn't make you feel any better because you thought of your father like this. It made you feel responsible.

You look back up to your mother because you _needed_ to know. "Are you going to tell father?"

She glances down at the flight of stairs at your father, busy discussing with a small contingent of soldiers. Her expression soft and filled with something you could not make out. "Ryoma, do you not trust your father?"

Your answer is immediate, but also hesitant. You trail off yet again, answer cut short by your hesitation and bitterness at something. "I do! But it's just… I don't know what he will say." Your eyes flicker to your father's back.

This is what it feels like to be Prince Ryoma, the eldest son of King Sumeragi right now. You do not feel right within as this moment. It has started ever since the morning and breakfast has been served. It infected and spread ever since the meeting. It worsened as your father mentioned you and introduced you to the army. And it made you feel sick when your mother discovered it and sought to help you, even though you desired that support, because you felt weak in doing so in admittance.

* * *

Mikoto sighed, thinking over her eldest son's words; his mixed confession of his own internal conflict that raged and coursed through him. Now she knew every single thing wrong with her son. Why he was uneasy when their father mentioned him to the army. She was only dissatisfied she didn't notice her son's plight earlier in the morning at breakfast.

Or rather she did but didn't try to resolve it earlier. Takumi assumed Ryoma was thinking of the meeting; he wasn't far off from being correct but he was still off either way. She had no one to blame but herself.

She knew that Ryoma sought to be like his father; she looked over their work as spectator a few times and Ryoma attempted to mirror his father's. It was perfectly clear. He sought and craved validation and desired to be like him.

Right now, however, it seemed that all those was coming back to bite him. His own desires and wants turned against him.

She knew her husband for years. She knew how he prides and the decisions made to secure and protect their country. Mikoto knew of Sumeragi loved Ryoma like any of his other children, and supported his son in assisting him with work. But was Sumeragi aware that his son felt this way, that he felt inadequate or unable in the work? Because Ryoma believed the basis that he was not ready to succeed his father on expectations he believed his father had? Did Sumeragi have these expectations of his son?

The answer came to her clearly as she discovered her son's confession. It was an answer that came quickly, for in giving support.

_No._

She believed if Ryoma had told his father what he was thinking, what he felt ever since the morning came, Sumeragi would not rebuke him or tell him that his worries were misplaced. He was not the kind of man to ignore troubles or whatever troubled others.

"Ryoma."

Ryoma's eyes flicker up to her, but his eyes still held that uncertainty from earlier. She hoped that it would go away immediately or sooner. "Do you believe you should tell your father?"

"I don't… I don't know." He was still hesitant. Then:

"Maybe?"

Mikoto smiled, her level down to his. "Do you want to know what I think?"

He nodded.

"I think that you should tell father about what you feel. He will not judge you for having this way to feel about him."

Ryoma remained silent, processing and thinking over his mother's words.

"Ryoma. It's up to you. You can tell your father or not. But I believe you should let him know. You cannot keep this in."

Ryoma looks down to his father discussing, his face screws up into an expression of thinking before he finally speaks. "I guess I should." A smile, though traces of his hesitance could be seen from the expression. The boy wraps his arms around her. "Thank you, mother. Thank you for helping me. I love you."

Mikoto returns the hug. "I love you too, sweetie."

Releasing the hug, the two look down the steps to see Sumeragi approaching. He looks down at his son, "We should be going soon, Ryoma."

The boy casts his gaze out into the empty void and the market below. "Yeah."

Just as the smile from the king's face appeared, it vanished just as quickly, replaced by a concern only Ryoma knew parents or adults could have. Ryoma felt something bubble up within him; it was a feeling, and that feeling was towards on the fact that he knew of his son's plight. "Is there something troubling you, Ryoma?"

"Father?" Did he know? Ryoma would let him continue.

"You seemed you were thinking of something earlier at breakfast. " He pauses slightly. "It is not the meeting like Takumi suggested, is it not?"

"It's not. It's about something else-" Ryoma pauses, thinking back to his mother's words.

_Ryoma, it's up to you. You can tell your father or not._

"Is… is it alright if I tell you later?"

Sumeragi blinks at his words. "I suppose but… may I ask why not now?"

Ryoma shifts his gaze up to him. "I just want to discuss it later if it's alright."

Although he was king, Sumeragi knew he would not get an answer right now. Ryoma was his son and although he wanted to know his son's thoughts, he would not force or push his son to give an answer immediately. It was his son's choice when to reveal what he wanted to him.

"Very well. Tell me when you are ready." Ryoma releases a soft breath of relief.

Sumeragi looks out into the clear blue void, then glances back at his family. "We should get going now. It's time to go." He turns to Mikoto. "Are both Takumi and Hinoka not back yet? They went to find Kamui and Corrin?"

Mikoto frowns, her lips trailing downward on her pretty face. "They have, but it seems they are still trying to find them. But where are they? They should be back right now."

"Perhaps they found them already? They might be waiting for us at the gate." Sumeragi looks to the crowd. "In any case, there is no time. I should go to inform the army."

Turning to the crowd, he announces in the booming voice that had earlier captivated the crowd and captured their attention. The talking of the group dispersed into the air as their attention was focused solely on the king once more. As Sumeragi announces their intent to leave, a chorus of the soldier's voices; both male and female, deep and high in various pitches, all filled the air as they combined into one that could not be ignored because of the heavy intensity it belied. It sweltered quickly, bits and pieces forming.

"YES, SIR!" and "YES, MILORD!". The wave of the chorus ended just as soon as it arrived. The cacophony wave was carried back into the ocean and depths, and then ever person in the vicinity were moving. Sumeragi took lead of his army and family; the latter trailed by his sides while the rest trailed by his backs. The clip clop of horses became an uneven and carried no sense of rhythm. It combined with the footsteps of those controlling them. All together, the footsteps of animals and men became nothing more than a distant sound that faded as it drifted into the distance.

* * *

A popular site of attraction and social meeting and gathering in Hoshido was the market square was a place to discuss and chat with various other people. The streets were filled with an influx of those people. Reasons amongst others for being in the square were of, ranging from but not limited to: being a vendor to sell items and wares, simply chatting or discussing with others (hence the square being a perfect place for social interaction), and playing, for mothers and fathers brought their children out to play on the spacious and sprawling town square in order to accomplish the former reasons.

However, there was also a reason of another for being on the streets. This reason was unknown to the people and completely unaware of them. That reason would arrive very soon, as the massive influx would know.

Just when the people of the country, occupying the square. It came in the form of a shout, announcing for those all around the vicinity. A few heads turned, not all, as the shouts did not spread over the area populated and there were still a discussion among the people.

"The king is here! The king is here!"

The few that did hear the message of the others came to join in on the shout. More heads turned. Not all again however. There were yells for silence. Discussions were put on hold, stopping abruptly in beginning, middle, and end. New and old topics came to a halt from all three. Even the children stopped playing, their attention on games and other activities ceased as they too heard the message.

"KING SUMERAGI IS HERE! KING SUMERAGI IS HERE!"

The silence that followed afterward was held onto the square. Shouts of the message and loud announcement was replaced by the contrast emptiness of silence. The clear blue void of the sky swallowed it all up.

Then came the explosion. The voices that held discussions, the voices that shouted out prices and relics of sorts to sell. All seemed to drop in a moment of silence and hesitation as the people on the market streets began to spread and crowd around to the front. Like moths to a flame, they converged on the object of their attraction.

Sumeragi and Mikoto watches as the large crowd of people began to converge. The few detachments of soldiers were at the sides, front, and back, as they held the crowd of people back. The yelling became a symphony; a combination of shouts by the people of Hoshido from young to old.

"King Sumeragi!" "Queen Mikoto!"

The various shouts of young and old came in all directions and in such a high intensity that it coalesced into a deafening pitch, hat it was impossible to discern who from who. Yet both couples heard it all either way. Waving to the crowd, the two made their way down to the gates. Sakura nestled in her mother's arms as she blinked, looking around the area in her curiosity, woken up by the yells. Her eyes began to water unhappily with tears at the yells. Mikoto, quickly noticed her daughter's unhappiness, lulled her back into a deep sleep. Sakura's eyes closed again into a deep slumber.

Sumeragi shook hands with many of the civilians that occupied the square. A few discussion of some topics of interest with many filled the air. Mikoto also chatted, and the few swooned over the baby Sakura sleeping. Though both Sumeragi and Mikoto were chatting for the people for simply social interactions, they were also chatting for another reason entirely:

They were waiting for Takumi and Hinoka to come back with Kamui and Corrin.

Neither Takumi nor Hinoka had returned with both twins yet and Sumeragi and Mikoto-the two-hoped by talking that both had returned with the other two by now.

As Sumeragi finished a discussion with-he notices-a short stocky merchant and few others with a discussion about the fishing shores of the country nearing the eastern coast teetering the edges, he glanced around, his gaze followed along and scanning the buildings. Every intricate detail and down to the smallest bit.

He scans again, hoping. He is forced to cut off for a short instant. Another man, much younger, comes up to him, starting a topic of neighboring towns near Hoshido. Sumeragi gives him his fullest attention. The man steps back with satisfaction and soon there are others there taking the former's place to ask him a question or request. He flickers his eyes at Mikoto and she too is distracted with the crowd of people. Damn. No time. From above, there was a tall arch as two pillars stuck into the earth, holding the simple structure up. They were nearing the gates. He knew it. The arch was a sign of them nearing the gates. He used the arch as a reminder of them nearing the gates exits. They were close to it. Close to the gates and there were still no signs of his four other children. He could only hope that they would come soon.

* * *

"Hey, Lelas."

Lelas turns his head, the owner of the voice who said his name cutting through all the shouts of the large crowd of people. A soldier from beside him. He is adorned with the same grey plated armor. His lance is predominantly on his side, as he holds the weapon pointing up. He didn't know this soldier. But how could he? His first few weeks of greeting others and he barely only learned who was who in the army.

"Yes?"

"Who are we waitin on?"

Lelas blinks, "Waiting on?"

The soldier indicates to both king and Queen. "Both King Sumeragi and Queen Mikoto seem ta be waitin on something. They're talking a lot."

"So?"

"You kidding me? What else are they waitin on by just talkin? Take a gander."

Lelas scans through the soldier. From his view, he notices the young prince. "Well. Prince Ryoma is here. So is Princess Sakura…" A moment of silence passes through him before he flicks his eyes back to his fellow. "Wait, where is Princess Hinoka and Prince Takumi? Where is Prince Kamui and Princess Corrin?"

The soldier nodded, "That's who they're waiting on. Their kids."

Lelas tried to scan through the large crowd. No luck. Too many around to try and search through them. "Where could they be?"

The soldier shrugs, a gesture and sign of not knowing, and he turns back to the crowd of people."

Lelas's duty was to his king and Queen. He served the king proudly. As their children were theirs, his duty fell upon them as well. He wasn't their retainers nor their servants, but he was a soldier of Hoshido and under the orders of his king, he would gladly fulfill any task requested of him. If his king or queen requested their children to be found, then he would gladly try to do so.

For which is why Lelas was glancing at his king and Queen, a silent hidden urge. If either of them requested to send him or others out to find their children, then he would do so.

He was a soldier under the orders of his king. At home, he was just a man with a wife and child, who awaited the day he would return after serving in the army. But now, he was just a soldier under the order of his king. And that was it.

* * *

"Are you going with your father, Prince Ryoma?"

Ryoma could hear the question shouted out by one of the townspeople. He answered a simple short answer. "Yes, I am, sir!"

His answer brought cheers and nods from the townspeople. No more questions came his way after that, and Ryoma took the free opportunity given to think of another topic.

As much as he attempted to think of another topic, his thoughts were forcibly coming back to the meeting, for it they were recent and the revelation of his earlier plight was all connected to the treaty between Hoshido and Nohr.

His earlier resolve of telling his father of his thoughts. And his siblings. He remembered Hinoka and Takumi being at breakfast. Takumi was somewhat upset that they were leaving, stating both Kamui and Corrin would agree with his assertion that the kingdom was boring and that they should leave. Which led to another topic: Kamui and Corrin were still asleep, which was strange considering Kamui being much more early at waking than Corrin… Hinoka went after breakfast to wake them up, they were not in their rooms, leading into… his eyes snap up, and he took an intake of breath discovering this.

Where were they? Where were his siblings? They weren't back yet. Where were they?

He and father were readying to leave soon. Where were his siblings?

Hinoka and Takumi went to find both Kamui and Corrin, yet they were not back yet. It should not have taken the former to find the latter two.

"Mother? Father? Do you know where is Hinoka and Takumi? They went looking for Kamui and Corrin and they haven't come back yet!"

Mikoto casts a worried gaze and Sumeragi himself has a nervous look despite attempting to hide it behind a wall of nothing, as his face was entirely neutral. Emotions were hard to hide if they were too heavy.

Sumeragi looked at his wife, glances past the crowd, his soldiers, and back to Ryoma before his wife again. He knew her thoughts; her worries were as clear as the morning sky.

Sumeragi went over the information given:

Kamui and Corrin were not in their rooms earlier in the morning. Yet he and the rest of their family had clearly saw the two yesterday; that meant they woke up earlier.

Okay. Alright. That was he was undoubtedly certain of.

Since Kamui and Corrin were not in their rooms sleeping, or as Hinoka assumed before they checked, Hinoka attempted to find them around the castle and came up short. Takumi suggested that the two may be out somewhere outside the city. Hinoka related the information to their mother, and she sent Hinoka, with the addition of Takumi, to attempt to find them. The two didn't come back.

All these factors and information added up into multiple results Sumeragi concluded of provided.

The first one popped into his head as he assumed them by: Hinoka and Takumi found the two and were informing them of today's events. But if they found the two, wouldn't they have arrived already? Hinoka and Takumi knew of today's events and by all accounts have arrived as of right now. Sumeragi knew not to tell them, as they already knew to arrive at the gates. As a result, he crossed the first out, as it did not result in the conclusion.

The second one: Both Kamui and Corrin were still out somewhere. Hinoka and Takumi have not found them yet. Taking in the information, it seemed that this conclusion was most likely, given that Hinoka and Takumi have not arrived yet with the other two. This was all the more to send out soldiers to find them.

The two were the only conclusion he was able to draw from all the information. A feeling of disappointment that he did not arrive at more. What if…? By all the information… his eyes widened in fear and his heart began to race.

_No._

No. There was a third conclusion. He would not consider that option. He would not see _that_ option. He was drowning in the possibility of it despite it. Fear, the emotional bane, began to eat away at him, thrust deep into his chest and twisted and turned. It made his heart race, elevated it as rush of adrenaline courses through his bones. It forced him to see the third possibility that he didn't want to face, yet it **forced him**.

_The four had been kidnapped_.

Fear drummed his heart. He was sure that while his face remained neutral, his eyes were fresh and full of fear. With his will, he cast it aside as best as he could. Not that option, never that option. It must be the only the second conclusion. It must be.

_Is it?_

Yes it was. He answers the lingering self doubt of his own mind's interior.

He had no other choice. Both Takumi and Hinoka we're gone for too long searching for both other twins. He had no choice but to come to this decision as his four other children's disappearance brought nothing now but worry. Two searching for the other two brought it up to four missing. Both he and Ryoma were leaving shortly soon for the treaty. He could not find his children himself, as much as every instinct in himself wanted to.

In the end, by his and Ryoma's departure, which drew closer and closer, and his family's worries, he would have to send soldiers in an attempt to find them. He was not happy with his own decision much less. Not because of sending soldiers, as a few less would not harm the contingent. The group would rendezvous with Commander's Radcliffe's group before making their way down to the Bottomless Canyon.

It was because of borrowed time, which began to drain even further and further down until there was nothing left.

Even if his soldiers found the four by then, it would be too late, as he and Ryoma would be gone already. That meant leaving without saying goodbye to his children. He didn't want _that_. He didn't want to leave without saying _goodbye _before he left. Yet he and Ryoma could not wait any longer.

"I may have to send some soldiers to try and search around the entire kingdom again." Sumeragi looked at his contingent, and swallowing, _reminding _himself that it was the **second** and only the **second** conclusion.

The soldiers themselves notice their king staring at them, as they feel his eyes on each of them. "Is something the matter, milord?" A female on her horse and a sword strapped to her side, as with many of the others that had their weapons held off to their waists or backs.

Sumeragi looked at her and he reminded himself. Second conclusion. They were _still_ finding them. "Yes." He was aware his voice croaked, so he clears his throat and repeats again. "Yes. My other children: Takumi and Hinoka, and Kamui and Corrin. They are not here."

A soldier pipes up from the surrounding contingent. "Have you sent Prince Takumi and Princess Hinoka to find Prince Kamui and Princess Corrin, milord?"

Sumeragi nodded. "I have. Or my wife, Queen Mikoto, has. They have not arrived as of yet."

The soldiers nodded amongst one another, trading glances. "Is it you want us to find them, milord?"

Sumeragi looked over them. From the side of the surrounding soldiers under his order, the crowd of people began to disperse. Their chatter and discussion fading off as they attended back to market stalls and each other.

"Yes."

Glances were thrown at others again, though this time it was to the conclusion of who would stay behind. Who would stay behind to find the children of their king?

Sumeragi looked at each of them. Names formed into his head, those who worked the longest with him. Their faces he could clearly see in his mind, because of their length of work. They form into and he looked into the crowd. Their names on his lips.

"Father!"

Sumeragi was about to name the soldiers, their names nearly leaving, until the shouts; shouts of his name into the distance of the kingdom. It was slightly faded from the distance, until another came out, much closer and more clear to him. Sumeragi, Mikoto, Ryoma, even the soldiers. All turned to the sound of voices that had captured their attention only barely and then clearly.

Both Takumi and Hinoka were sprinting towards the group. As they drew closer and closer; converging, Mikoto walked with quick steps, the soldiers stepping aside to give space, creating an opening and gap from the previously surrounded King and Queen. Mikoto wrapped her arms around the two, holding them.

"What took you two so long?! Are you alright? Where's Kamui and Corrin?! Aren't they with you?!"

"Mikoto."

Mikoto turned to her husband, realizing, and then promptly releasing them.

"Takumi. Hinoka."

"Papa." The two chorused.

Sumeragi looked at them and then, with the open space parted by the soldiers looked into the distance where they came from. "What took you so long? Where is Kamui and Corrin?"

Sumeragi held his belief that the second option was true. He reassured himself that it was and was **only** the second option. He did not believe the first and refused to believe the third. If any person were there to witness his thoughts, they would say he was overthinking and jumping to implausible conclusions with the third. Two of the four were here, but yet the other two were not.

Sumeragi didn't know if it was a relief, but he still was grasping where the other two could be when he heard their answer from Hinoka. "We can't find them."

Takumi spoke up, adding to her tale. "I searched all over the city. And Hinoka looked all over the field where they hid and we played tag yesterday. They're not there either."

It was a relief. Sumeragi realized that the third option was merely of his own fears, driven up underneath and designed from unconsciousness set forth. Like a wave of water, it rushes over him. Goosebumps spreading out over his body as it tenses and relaxes, shiver accompanying it. As it passes through, he realizes the question of his two other children's whereabouts still remained: "Where is Kamui and Corrin then?"

A yell rang out, his question left unanswered in the void, as not a person knew. "King Sumeragi! We're approaching the gates!"

Sumeragi could only swear under his breath. There was no _time_. He could not stall for any more time any longer. Regrets and guilt formed into his head, making itself prominent out of all the others.

He would say goodbye to all of his children except Kamui and Corrin.

"Hondo! Mineta!"

Both soldiers named snapped to attention. Their posture straightened at their king's call. Years of serving and working under king had forced them to be ready at any given notice. "Yes sir!"

"Return to the barracks. Inform others in your contingent to search all over the area around the city square and fields for them. Once you have found them, inform my wife, Queen Mikoto!"

The two nodded, "Yes sir!" The rest watched as the two faded into the distance Hinoka and Takumi came from.

Mikoto turns back to her husband. "We cannot wait any longer?" The saddened, sorrowful expression tore at his heart, yet he resolved to stay strong.

He could only offer a response that matched the expression on her face, "Im sorry, Mikoto. I wish I could-_**We**_ could." He glances down at Ryoma. "But we have waited for too long. Ryoma and I must leave for the meeting immediately."

Takumi looked up at him, "But Kamui and Corrin aren't here yet!"

He knows, yet he could not wait. He knew the words and they _slashed_ at his heart, blood pumping by all the veins flowing. His heart was bleeding.

Hinoka also seemed to agree, for she too argued against her father. "They'll come soon! Anytime right now they'll come out!"

But she knew that was a futile, _hopeful_ thought. Her brain telling her that they **will** come, yet she knew otherwise. She tried to convince herself, yet she placed her hopes on that they will come, because Kamui and Corrin were her younger siblings.

Sumeragi cursed himself for what he said next, yet he didn't know what other option he could put them. There _was_ no other option. "They aren't coming. They don't even know."

Hinoka's hopeful expression, hopeful just as her thoughts would be, melted and Sumeragi felt _guilty. __**Responsible**__. _

"King Sumeragi!" A soldier called out.

Sumeragi nodded at the soldier's words that snapped him out. His voice was quiet. "Let's go."

It was a short, silent trip down to the gates after Sumeragi told them. The entire family of Hoshido was down, their mood soured, after the revelation of the two other remaining family members of theirs was nowhere to be found.

The various civilians there at the gates were discussing with soldiers and guards, and when they saw the family and army contingent gave a wide berth for the large group as they moved to the side. A few guards went down; a short chat with them, and they were back to their posts.

The few soldiers in Sumeragi's contingent began to saddle onto their horses for earlier they did not. Others checked their weapons and their carriages, making sure that everything was in order. There were only a few stops for a quick break before they were off again.

Sumeragi looked at his family, ushering Ryoma to stand beside him. He exchanges a glance down to his son, before the rest of his family standing before him. "We going to go now."

Mikoto stepped up first, kissing her husband passionately. Sumeragi held her; his wife, and the rushing air came; the scent of Sakura flowers in the air. Mikoto releases the kiss, her breath faint, "Goodbye. I love you."

Sumeragi meant every single word that came out next. He loved his wife more than anything. "I love you too. Goodbye, Mikoto." He looks down at the sleeping baby in her arms. "Goodbye, Sakura."

Hinoka and Takumi stepped up next. The two both in their father's arms. "Goodbye, Papa."

"Goodbye, Hinoka. Goodbye, Takumi."

Ryoma said his goodbyes next. Giving his mother and siblings a hug, sans Kamui and Corrin, he bid them goodbye. "Goodbye, mother."

"Goodbye, Ryoma."

"Tell me about anything besides the meeting!" Takumi's response was expected, even as Hinoka just gave him a look, but Ryoma promised he would. "I just wish I could come though."

Ryoma fought the urge to smile. "It's fine. And hey, maybe next time you can come! I'll convince father to let you come."

"Yeah, _right_." He barely hears him mutter. Ryoma couldn't hold the smile back anymore and just let it form onto his face.

Hinoka's goodbye, however, was just as her mother's. "Goodbye, Ryoma."

"Goodbye, Hinoka."

The final goodbyes were said, and both Sumeragi and Ryoma took one last look at their family at the gates. Sumeragi told the three if they ever saw Kamui and Corrin, they would tell them of today's events, his and Ryoma's goodbyes for the two, as they were not physically here, and they promised they would. The soldiers beside them, waiting for him to finish. Father and son took one last look at their family, and with a shout, jostled the army into action; his order springing them alive. Together: father and son, and the contingent of Sumeragi's soldiers. All melded into one before they faded into the distance; their bodies shaping into dots that became further and harder to see until they were gone, the empty sky taking the place of the departing dots once more.


	4. Chapter 3 (part 1)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I completely forgot about AO3 when I posted this chapter up on Fanfiction.net, so go and blame me.

From the surrounding large group of trees adjacent and juxtaposed to each other; a collection of Mother Nature, swathes of stocky limbs forming from the earth beneath, bending in an array of angles, twisting and turning and standing even erect, a man, clad in his silver-grey armor, watches as his companions and allies chatter among themselves as he and they were surrounded by the crisscross of and intersecting bodies that jutted out of the earth. The morning light of the sun just barely had pierced through the small cracks that the tree's limbs did not shield with its leaves or limbs themselves.

The man cast a look over his allies and companions, clad in their own silver armor before his gaze was upon the surrounding foliage behind them. He adjusts the steel helmet on his head to block the piercing light, blinking warily, standing out in the open. It was easy to get lost in the thick jungle, and those that did not know their way around would be the helpless and lost victims unless one asked for directions to the nearest town. For a stranger or for any person who did not have the slightest clue of which direction to take; where to go, then asking directions in the nearest town with its inhabitants, who possessed knowledge of where to go, was often considered the wisest course of action. And probably only.

He nearly snorted and a scowl came onto his face instead. _Nearest Town. Unless they want to visit the "Town of the Damned"._

He knew, however, what others did not. His knowledge did not translate to theirs. They did not know what he possessed. And he very much knew the town and its given name.

The Town of the Damned. Ghost Town of Hoshido. Ghost Town near Bottomless Canyon. Just two of the few nicknames he overheard soldiers and even civilians calling it. The last one was, to him and a few others, ridiculous but even that name was given to it, just by the location of the two that were close to each other:

The Town of the Damned was put, a nickname after a simple town near the border of Hoshido. The name of the town, affectionately given the name, was after a massacre discovered; the macabre, gruesome sight discovered after by a few traveling townspeople. Towns near the destroyed town. The message quickly traveled then and through, like a series of circuits or water transferred between a series of pipes. The Kitsune tribe, he remembered, was one of the few last ones that received the message before it ever reached its destination. The message was sent to the king, immediately eliciting a response; an investigation put forth. A third of the barracks, including himself; he remembered he and the others gave orders, and the quick rush for the investigation had brought him and the army there in one day. With the requested assistance of the Kitsune tribe, they scanned all around and over the vicinity. No survivors. _None_. He grimly remembered.

_There was smoke in the air. Lumps of and remnants and rivers of blood. Some charred and some not._

"Sir?"

_He was staring. The sight before him had only taken his entire focus out. Streaming red absorbed into the earth below and the smell of charred and smoke filled his nostrils._

_Why? Who could have done this? What being was capable and responsible for the destruction?_

The simple questions formed in his mind, and while it toyed with the thought of his blindness; his inability to consider views of others, he did not think so. He was born and raised in a small quaint town edging on the border of Hoshido's massive walls. Raised by his mother, as she was single, and he had not a single clue of his father, as his mother had only simply told him a basic few, that he was just out for work.

His views were passed down in generations of the country's founding. Raised to think a way. How could it be wrong?

_Who would destroy what was inside of the border of my homeland? Who would destroy the peace we had?_

His homeland. Others homeland. Their homeland. All their homes are in Hoshido.

Hoshido was not a region of scarcity. Abundant and resourceful, plentiful, and beautiful, the country grew crops and crops of everything. Rich with life breathed into it. In every town inside Hoshido's territory from the east, life sang with heaviness and with it, airy cities. The scent of fresh flowers and green grass were picked up by the winds, clinging onto noses as they passed through.

It only made him furious that his homeland was being attacked. The populace was destroyed. It rankled him further that there was not a perpetrator to be found.

"Sir? Commander Radcliffe?"

He looked up. One of them under his command. He studies the face of the soldier, one of the very companions that accompanied him. The tanned skin. Hair almost entirely covered by the metal helmet that shone, reflecting the morning rays.

"Yes?"

"Should we not move our forces back to where King Sumeragi is approaching?"

King Sumeragi. Their king. Did he even retrieve the letter? Did Lelas arrive at Hoshido and deliver the message, or did he falter in the given task?

A snort, derisive, came from one of the other few feet away from the Commander. "Tch! Why is the letter being delivered anyway?! Should've burned that and told Nohr to fuck off!"

A feminine voice cut in, "Because! If the letter reaches King Sumeragi, and if King Sumeragi comes: then Hoshido can focus on a treaty of some sort with Nohr!"

Radcliffe watched as the soldier turned to the female. "Do you even believe _that?_ Do you not see what Nohr did to one of the towns in the border?!"

Town of the Damned. Nohr. Were they connected or was it because individuals concocted for them to be? Did people believe Nohr because simply both countries could not coexist with each other? Was Nohr responsible for the attack on the lone town? He could not answer the question. He wished he knew, but he also didn't. A desire for both, yet one cannot be achieved along with the other.

Nevertheless, there were things he knew, and what Nohr and the former state of the town as topics of conversation would lead into, he decided to stop it early on before it reached its breaking point. "Enough! Both of you!"

His voice brought them into silence, and he took that as a sign to continue. "We had this discussion before." Flicking his eyes back and forth between the two, and the bystanders who watched with uncertainty. Radcliffe could not tell if they wanted to argue for one side or the other, but a narrowed gaze that cut through stone dissuaded them from ever joining in. He did not want these soldiers under his command to bicker and argue like children. The soldiers already grated on his nerves for much incessant chatter in the past, but for what topics, especially the one regarding Nohr and the defunct town, was only of the few to ever to grate him. He had already heard the conversation times before. He did not want to hear it again.

There was no argument made to be back; it would only show their immaturity and inability to let this confrontation go.

But did that make him a hypocrite of his own words? Was a part of him wanting to discover the truth yet stop others from an attempt to make sense of the problem his own hypocrisy?

He convinced himself that it wasn't. It was just a part of him not wanting to jump to conclusions. Evidence claimed relied on proof and yet there was none for the town. Whatever there was had vanished. The blame should not be put on Nohr. Not yet. He did not like the rival country, but that did not mean he resented them either.

But for now, he would stop this foolish talk. At least until later. Not until at least the king arrived, at least.

The soldiers turned their gases outward, retreating their sight and under the gaze of their commander and his words that broke through the silence of the abundance.

"Sir? If I may ask…"

A wordless gesture for one under his group, and he continued, "Should we finish breakfast and move towards northwest?"

Radcliffe pauses momentarily, a second to consider his words, then nods. He knew what the soldier was referring to. "Let's move. We make our way to the rendezvous point."

* * *

Breakfast was short and quick.

The forest Radcliffe and his soldiers were in was just of the fewest of the many foliages of densely packed trees in an area of a sea of green grass that grew like bushes. Towards Hoshido, trees grew far and in between. There were some as large and packed as the one they were just in, or they were also scattered about the open area. open areas were lightly toned faded brown, indicating pathways. Towns in Hoshido were just as scattered about in the entire border of the nation. Their horses awaited the commands of their owners. Radcliffe knew this area well. He had crossed this over and over.

But through the landscape, Radcliffe knew that he and the forces were to meet King Sumeragi westward. When? He did not know. But he knew the best course of action was to wait, and though moving back east didn't seem to hurt, Radcliffe worked with his king long enough to know him. He would accept this treaty and would want him to move westward. He had no doubt of it. A century over and he knew him best.

Which was why he told them to move out of the dense forest. Which is why he was not moving back. In his opinion and the general populace, moving back was a sign of retreat. There was nothing to retreat from, so he and his soldiers would be deemed, cowards. Yet there was nothing to deem them so, not a single soul, and yet nothing to stop them, yet he wanted to continue moving forward.

Why not move back for the king to come? That other question popped into his head. His own soldiers have voiced that question that had popped into his own thoughts, borne from within.

Yes, but it would be best to wait west. The king had trusted him enough with the matter of allowing Radcliffe. Another reason why he wouldn't move back. King Sumeragi trusted him, and he would take that trust and not shatter it because the king counted on him. So did those under his command, and so did the civilians in the border of towns.

Was it a matter of pride then?

He supposed it was.

"Sir?"

Ah, yes. Time to move west. They took a break for way too long back in the forest.

"Let's go."

* * *

It was a silent being.

Composed of dark matter swelling in him. It's lidless, blank eyes, devoid of anything save for coal orbs that matched only the purple and black. It ambled onward with a slow, rugged pace, lacking any semblance of identity in its movements. It watched the group approach into a cove and disappear out of the void of trees. With its wordless gaze, its eyes traveled to the departing sound, and then nothing.

The being was perched on a tree; the branches covering every inch and hiding it. A being hidden, branches, leaves, and then some more covering it. The being did not want to be seen, and that was it.

A simple thought. It did not want to be discovered. That was its only thought. Ingrained in its memories.

Without a word, without any sound, the being perched disappeared, leaving behind no trace, and the empty forest.

* * *

It had only been a few hours. They moved at a brisk pace. Radcliffe only knew the time in between when they traveled was exchanges of chatting and discussion. Something he only joined in occasionally. Too busy was he thinking about the meeting. Seriousness filled his head.

But with the trees, watching the field as the wind passed through his and his allies' faces, something had caught his gaze. Squinting to focus on the object, which only barely improved from the blur in his line of vision and the speed they were moving, he shouted a warning.

"HALT!"

The soldiers held the reins in and the horses neighed, front legs kicking about the open air for a brief instant before they were on earth.

"Commander? What's with the pause?" The sudden command had halted them, their horses, and the conversations.

"Hold." It was his only reply. "I saw something. I'm going to go back. Go on ahead without me. I will catch up later."

The soldiers, fresh faces and old, obeyed. Their assumption was that it must be something of nonimportance; a quick check by their commander and nothing more.

Radcliffe departed from his comrades, approaching and approaching the area that the object was from. Inquisitive narrowing and he pushed through the thick foliage that covered once more. If there was one thing he could only not be proud of his country, it was trees, bushes, and everything that were plants and grasses.

He was _beginning _to hate them.

The bask glow of sunlight shown through. Radcliffe was glad; it only meant for the object to shine through and unveil.

With a final push aside of the trees and another area crossed, he unveiled the object to his eyes.

* * *

The being watched the group again. It had followed the group for quite a while, stalking them unknowingly. It did not want to be discovered, and so far, it had succeeded in that endeavor.

From a shout of warning from one of the group members, it stared with emptiness. A command from one, and then it moved away from the rest. The being watched as the single from the group traveled further and further away.

Turning slowly back to the group, regarding them with nothing but it's gaze, it followed the singular man into the denseness of the forest.

If the being could, at this very moment, laugh, the singular person would never be seen again.

The group would be waiting for a dead man.

* * *

_What?_

He could not think now. His thoughts went haywire as his gaze was torn to the object.

_What is this?!_

A question he could not answer.

No…

He could.

He was staring at a dead person. **No.**

**A dead townsperson.**

In another way, that he hoped for, that he wished for, that he was not staring at a dead person but he was.

The person wasn't moving. Lying down in the patches of grass, a darkened pool of red. Blood still fresh.

_Oh, Gods…_

His eyes went blank. He saw nothing. No. He wasn't staring at the body. He was staring at _bodies. _There was more...

_Ghost Town. Massacred. No survivors…_

_Ghost Town. Massacred. No survivors!_

_ **Ghost Town. No survivors!** _

_ **GHOST TOWN! NO SURVIVORS!** _

No. That was not related. This body and the incident were not related. It had to do with something else! Even as his thoughts inexplicably formed this because of a singular word. The blood was fresh even though it began to dry. How…?

His thoughts turn to the singular word presented:

_ **MASSACRE.** _

_ **MASSACRE…** _

_ **MASSACRE!** _

_ **Massacre meant…** _

_ **They were walking into a trap.** _

_ **AMBUSH.** _

A sound of rushing wind. Radcliffe's eyes widened as he quickly turned around, instincts taking over and years of battle, unsheathing his sword. He raised it up, and it connected with a ringing sound as metal met another metal.

* * *

The being struck.

Its target. The lone person leaving its group like an animal to its kin. a sheep wandering away from the herd. Finding the corpse of the person. It was time.

Perched on a tree once more, it lept off.

And then it struck.

* * *

Heart drumming, eyes lit, and adrenaline rushing through him. Radcliffe, through the converging emotions that threatened to tear into him, and the small blade of the figure that attacked him, his suspicions were confirmed:

He was being ambushed.

The figure lept off, its twin blades held at its hands unsuccessfully meeting its mark. Landing meters away from him, it gazed at him with its soulless eyes, before it lunged at him once more.

Radcliffe slid into a defensive posture, waiting. Parrying the first extended blade with his sword as it slid past, he slashed at the being the next instance only for the second blade coming up to block.

It became nothing more to Radcliffe than a blur. Possibilities weave in and out of his brain. His focus was entirely on this dark figure who attacked him, its clothes black.

A demand tears through his lips. "Who are you?!"

No answer. The figure does not let up, striking at him with fervor. Radcliffe worked long enough in the army, had seen fights; conflicts made by individuals, to know that whoever this was was intending to kill. Intentions were clear as the daylight and yet Radcliffe struck again, turning his defense into offense.

"Are you with Nohr?!"

A parrying block into a kick. Radcliffe grunted, the force of the blow pushing against his stomach and moving him back. Unfazed, Radcliffe lunged and the figure did the same, falling into a pattern of blocks, parries, kicks.

"Answer me! Who are you?!"

A wordless lunge again and Radcliffe knew that he was solely being defensive. His offense was to make this figure speak and coerce but that approach failed. He noticed that the blades were much larger in length than a usual pair. But that was only just for a brief instant of notice as those blades went to cut into flesh once more, only ever failing with the prevention of it by Radcliffe's long but singular own.

Fine. He would make this figure talk. Whoever they were.

He channeled every bit of energy within himself. A blue hue of an outline flared around his body. With a glare that peered into the vacant eyes of his opponent, he lunged.

The sudden burst of speed caught the figure completely off guard. If there was a surprise reaction, the figure did not show it.

A slash and the figure stumbled back, the sharp edges and tip only a graze across the chest, as the figure jumped back to avoid the horizontal slash aimed, attempting to form a hasty defense. Radcliffe did not let up his assault, swinging with a fervor. He kicked the being in the chest the next instant, the blow knocking aside the two blades, the force of the kick sending the being flying. Raising his sword above his head, he shouted,

"**IGNIS!"**

The blow never came. In all accounts, it should have. But it didn't. Radcliffe knew why. Perhaps the blow would come through and he would severely wound the figure, but it never did. That had been his intention. All he knew the next instance, there was screaming. His blade was stopped solely because of the noise.

Such a terrible sound. Screaming was caused by a factor of reasons. One was in pain. One was in fear. One was in shock.

This was a combination of all three.

From his soldiers.

The trees did absolutely nothing to cover up the noise. It pierced through every object and into Radcliffe's ears and his soul. Ringing out from the silence of the forest, his heart plummeted as he heard the screams; the wails. His swing stopped for the moment. He went back to his earlier thoughts.

**Ambush.**

His soldiers were being ambushed.

He realized in his foolishness:

It wasn't just **him.**

The proud commander of his army never had time to think for the next instant. A slash across his arm and he cried out. Pain blossomed and exploded. A splash of blood.

He clutched his sword arm as the man feebly stumbled backward in pain, nearly dropping his weapon in the process due to the immense pain. Radcliffe only cursed and hissed as the source of the pain went numb from near his wrist. There was no time to even check the origin of the wound, how deep it was, or even dwell on his own foolishness of dropping his guard or even that he was alone, because for the next instant, the figure was back up and slashing at him again with its twin blades. Radcliffe lowered into a defensive fighting stance, his blade in front of his chest, blocking the blow and then the next. He was back on the defensive.

* * *

"You Nohrian bastards!"

A scream tore from one of the soldiers as he barely managed to block the knife aimed at him. An arrow flashed by, missing its mark as he twisted his body to the side.

Another shriek, this time as one of anger as one thrust her lance into the belly of the beings that converged.

"Where the hell is Commander Radcliffe?!"

The frustration, fear, anger, hate. All converged into the scream that echoed out into the forest of their new battlefield of gore.

A question formed by one of them cut through the sounds of ringing and clashing metal, with the occasional sound of rushing wind by arrows and thunks as arrows failed to meet intended targets.

Fear was prevalent, but also desperation. The will to fight and kill was keeping the soldiers alive but even mistakes were made. One that only cost lives.

A fresh, newly admitted, recruit only manages to block one strike, a sword just about raised to block in time, but the force of the blow, powerful, knocks his weapon out of the way, leaving him exposed, and with a blur of the metal blade, slashes his neck open. He cries out, choking as copper instantly flooded his mouth and large streams of fresh blood spray from the open wound. He dies not a second later as his body hits the earth.

"NO!"

Watching a comrade die was only a nightmare in and of itself. For those few that had seen the Ghost Town, it was not far from what was shown. But for those new, they only screamed in horror, fear, and rage.

A few who disengaged with their enemies for the briefest of moments as one of their comrades died, looking only just to catch a glance. Not even a reprieve was given later, as the enemies attacked again.

Grief was making for a weapon. In grief came rage. Rage was a deadly weapon presented, visible on the facial features of a person and in the swing of their weapon. From this case, a few lunged and attacked with renewed vigor, rage pushing them to the limit.

It wasn't enough. Three recruits rushed at one. The black figure dodged the first, kicking the first attacker back, sending him flying and crashing against a tree, dazed. It thrust before the second could ever make his attack, spraying blood open with a stab to the chest, and the third only managed to parry one stroke before with its free hand struck its foe across the face before shoving the blade deep into the skull, fueled by power.

The figure then crouched, before kicking off. Black matter began to coalesce around its weapon. The first target was too late to block. With its weapon raised, it struck its foe down, his cries only ringing out the battlefield, joining in the growing death of his comrades.

New scores of arrows went past as Radcliffe's forces attempted to fight back against their foes. Only more and more had been struck down, bodies dropping as blood gathered and absorbed into the soil of their homeland. One horrific realization only came to them as they continued to fight:

They were losing.

* * *

Radcliffe blocked the next set of strikes as sweat dripped off his forehead and hair. The insulation of heat that his helmet was providing did nothing as he tore it off fluidly, throwing the offending headpiece off to the side and lunged at his foe again. As they continued, Radcliffe continued to analyze his opponent's movements, and it became clear to him.

His opponent was fast. Faster than him. Without the strikes fueled by Bonfire, his opponent had no strength of any sort. He knew the tactics well enough. A hit and run mixed in with blindingly fast strikes that left the foe with no chance to counter and forcing them on the defensive.

Radcliffe's only advantage was strength, but also speed. Just barely, those two were his deadly combination. However, the latter began to tire him out. Stamina was a factor that played into speed and Radcliffe, having traded blows with this unknown opponent, began to wear down on him. He did not know if his opponent was feeling the effects of fatigue, but it seemed like there was none. His opponent kept attacking without falter.

There was no use in anymore defensive fighting. He was going to abandon his defense into offense.

Unknown to any that would see, minus the figure of his foe, Radcliffe's eyes narrowed, anger and resolution in them. Useless was attempting to keep the foe alive, just for questioning, but perhaps he abandoned that resolve when he casted Ignis and had the chance to kill his foe moments earlier.

Now he was abandoning everything. His morals, his beliefs. It did not matter.

Radcliffe thrust himself into the heart of battle once more.

* * *

_Is… Is this it?_

She looks up to the surrounding trees and sky. Her eyes water and she blinked back tears.

_I-I don't want to die.,,_

A sword pierced her stomach entering and exiting out before it was ripped from her body. She laid, bleeding.

_M-mother. S-sister..._

Memories form. A goodbye from her to her family as she eagerly went to follow in her father's footsteps that day when she was just nineteen.

Had Nohr been responsible for this?

She weeps, tears, and coughs viciously. Blood and spit stained her chin and lips. She can barely hear her allies as one by one they began to fall.

She would never live to know, and that was so much worse.

Her family promised that when she did her duty, their family would go to visit the Kitsune tribe. She had always been interested in different species. Now that would never happen.

_Fa-father…_

The father she never knew she attempted to follow in his footsteps.

Has that been a mistake? Was all of that a mistake? Had not demanding reparations from Nohr was a mistake? Was the whole treaty nothing but a trap?

Perhaps all of that was, but it didn't matter to her anymore. Only one thing mattered, and she sobbed as the full brunt of the realization hit her as she laid attempting to breath:

She would never get to see her family again.

The Hoshidian cried until darkness filled her vision, and then nothing more.

* * *

He was the last of them standing.

He knew it, as his eyes scanned the area wildly trying to find allies and comrades alive among the battle. An arrow lodged into a few. A large cut across another group.

He fought. Panic filled his being and drummed in his heart full of fear. And yet, not only that, but also anger and hate. Anger at Nohr and hatred for them.

They were the ones responsible.

His comrades dying to them.

Had they been responsible for the town's destruction? Yes they were. His comrades dying now were proof.

He hated them. He hated them.

Through his mind, jumbled in a mess of multitude of thoughts, he thought of Commander Radcliffe.

_Of course Nohr's obviously the one responsible. The treaty's damn useless! It's a fluke!_

Commander Radcliffe had been wrong. His judgement had been wrong.

He hated his commander at the moment. They were going to die because of his foolish belief.

In his last moments of fighting, a slash went across his knee, cutting it open, going through the artery and rendering it useless. His meager defenses provided him nothing as he was assaulted by multiple foes with daggers, their sharp tipped blades sweeping through his openings. He fell to one in agony, yet determined hatred on his face. If he was going to die, then he was taking as many of them as he could with him.

With only one leg, he pushed off, lunging at one of the black figures. He only swung at empty air as the figure sidestepped the mad rush and slammed a fist to the back of his head. A cry escaped his lips. His eyes blurred with tears of rage and hatred. Hatred at these Nohrians for killing his comrades, hatred at Nohr himself, because they were the ones responsible. He and all his comrades and allies, those he knew and worked with, were going to die. They were going to die alone.

He screamed profanities and cursed at them, spit flying from his mouth as salty wetness dripped down his face.

A slam of a sharp-tipped lance down his stomach, digging into the body with only the meager armor barely providing protection to stop the object. Lodged into his stomach, he lets loose a gargled scream.

With blurred eyes, he looked up as more weapons descended upon him. He cried in desperation, anger, and above all else: _fear_.

_Just end me already. Just kill me…_

A knife lodged into his chest. Many other varieties of killing tools are stuck within him, sticking out like a macabre sight of a porcupine with its quills. Torture in only a few seconds from his victorious, cruel, harsh enemies. A clear intent to draw out his pain. Or perhaps they just looked to cause any injury until he died. It didn't matter.

As his breathing began to falter, as it began to silence, he only wondered about the treaty, Commander Radcliffe, and Hoshido.

His final thoughts as his eyes fluttered shut, beginning to permanently close to signal death, he wondered about King Sumeragi. He hoped, prayed, that the man did not accept the treaty. Nohr would be hostile towards them, and he only wondered that Hoshido would just plummet into war with them. It was a trap, and it would be nothing but remain that way.

If only….

* * *

Radcliffe knew his weaknesses. He fully knew them. One was that he tended to falter in tasks given. But not as this, the sound of screams was not to be blamed on him. He only heard more and more screams. Adrenaline rushed his person and yet he attempted to flee out of the small opening and back to his soldiers, yet his opponent seemed to be aware. His lagging and decreasing speed took even a further toll on the Commander, as his chest heaved with the effort of filling his lungs with inhales and exhales of oxygen. His stamina was draining even further and forced to use every bit of his reserves in order to keep up with his nimbler foe, who made up for lack of power with such speed that even Radcliffe had to focus entirely on the next strikes that threatened to slice into flesh, armor notwithstanding.

Speaking of which…

Radcliffe quickly looked down into his armor. Having received some blows, thick enough just to take a few hits. Large damage from one of them presented itself in the form of a cut that ran deep, cutting through steel but not enough to reach flesh.

A quick assessment of his armor and his eyes were back on his opponent.

Parry, thrust, dodge, block.

Then it came at a sudden and inexplicable warning. A loud scream, piercing and horrible, filled the air, flooding his ears and filling his body with the terror, then silence.

His soldiers, were _dying_.

At that moment, Radcliffe was filled with rage. Molten hot lava and he screamed his soldier's names. With his stamina heavily depleted, he all but no longer cared. His reserves were dangerously slim to none, but it didn't matter.

"_Hey, Commander! Check it out!"_

_The man sighed in response as they were imbued with the light of the crackling fire in the middle of the circle of figures. "What is it?"_

That moment a few months back was a bad joke from one of them under his command. A blue shimmering outline began to glow on him. Another scream from the depths erupted.

"_Commander, I apologize."_

_The recruit looked down, her eyes with shame and unable to meet his own. There had been an incident involving her and four others. She had supposedly been the instigator, or the very least played majorly into the part if not all._

_Radcliffe sighed, "It's fine… Just… next time, just don't do it again."_

The man glanced at his foe. Resolution filled his eyes.

And at that moment, Radcliffe rushed at him. His foe crouched low, holding up both blades parallel. His foe swung one at him, hoping to force him to react defensively.

In any case, Radcliffe would have blocked. He would have raised his blade up to block the swing of the weapon of his opponent.

It would have been his intention from what his opponent was expecting.

The moment his foe swung, Radcliffe, in the last moment, pushed off, flipping over his foe, vaulting over him. Without skipping a step, the man rushed into the dense abode, hurrying past his foe.

* * *

Pass… That was what he used.

It had expected the Commander of the group to attack him from the front. The use of Pass was to bypass an opponent's guard, or attack from behind when said opponent was from the front. Pass was also used to escape in a battle that either resulted in a person's loss or draw, the latter of which where no clear victor can be decided. It was not only efficient but also deadly in a trained individual.

However, the use of Pass required enough energy and reserves to perform. Not only on that fact, but Pass can be predicted and effectively countered. The use of Pass could also work in conjunction with several other skills, though it required immense reserves.

The Commander was quickly fatigued in the fight, it had noticed. The broad, powerful strokes, leaping strikes, flips. It knew the form what the Commander was using. The form was a fighting form in between melee opponents that were meant to last only for a short and quick duel. Acrobatic and it was extremely effective against a single opponent.

The weaknesses were, however, exactly what it had been looking for: Weak against prolonged combat and drained heavy stamina and reserves. The Commander had quickly done that, using every bit of reserves up for a notion he believed that he could quickly defeat it.

Foolish. Forgetting the weaknesses of his form. The arrogance of man. The heavy reliance on that form left very little for the man to fall back on. It didn't expect the man to still have some energy for the Pass and to sprint past it at it, but no matter.

It sheathed its weapons to its belt, quickly taking to the trees again. It didn't matter to it anymore. The Commander escaping did not matter. The battle was already over, and it had won. Separating the Commander was its only mission, stalling him out with the prolonged fight, and it had worked. Out of all the forces, only the Commander had been a true threat amongst all of them.

If the massacre of the Commander's forces had played out correctly, then the Commander would meet the dead forces of his soldiers very soon.

Radcliffe rushed past the heavy dense forest, his boots crunching grass and bushes as he sprinted out of it, sweat pouring down his face. His stamina returned to him somewhat, allowing him to run at a moderate but quick pace.

"_Go on ahead without me. I will check it out."_

That was a mistake. That was a terrible mistake. It never should have happened. Why did he order it?

_Why?_

He recognized a pair of arrows lodged into a bark of a tree. Past that… a river of blood...

No…

**No…**

Radcliffe stared in horror, for there was no other word to describe the sight that he was currently seeing. There were no other words to describe what was in his sight.

_Blood… So many dead bodies… What remained of children and even adults, were maggots and flies still feasting. A skull and guts around the bones… Rotted flesh…_

He was back at the Town. Watching the macabre sight, unable to move. No. He was paralyzed. Whatever demon had taken this town now took him. His soul was taken by the demons of hell.

No. It was not the same, but it fit the description. It fitted whatever hellish sight that beheld the town years back.

A collection of bodies, blood that was still spraying from open wounds forming a river that continued to grow and grow; the earth unable to absorb or soak itself in the crimson liquid fully.

"_Commander Radcliffe?"_

"_Yes?"_

"_I need help with… something, if you don't mind."_

"_Not at all. What is it?"_

Yes. Right there, where a gaping wound in his chest, was one of the recruits that asked him the question. His body up against a tree where blood streamed out of his wound, staining his clothes, armor, and the ground with crimson.

"_Hey, Surik. Does Commander Radcliffe ever take a joke? Has he ever joked once in his life?"_

That day, when his soldiers under his command questioned why he was so serious most often of the time.

"_No. I'm afraid he does not. He is from a family that has served in the Hoshidian Army."_

"_That doesn't answer why he's so strict most of the time! Can he ever relax for once?"_

He decided to interfere at that time.

"_Relax for once on what?"_

_The soldier nearly jumped, swiveling around. "C-commander! How long have you been standing there?!"_

_Surik stood idly by, watching from the sidelines with barely contained amusement._

"_Long enough to hear what you have to say about me."_

_The soldier looked nervous. "U-umm, you're not mad about that, sir?"_

_Radcliffe took that time to study his soldier's look of nervousness, and then he smirked. "Why would I be?"_

Both Surik and that soldier were adjacent next to each other. Both bodies riddled with a multitude of arrows lodged into them. Surik's shield also lodged with arrows, along with his owner.

Surik. He had been one of the older and the soldiers he respected among the contingent. He extensively studied his family history and now he was…

He gasped. He was gasping, and then he sobbed. He fell to his knees and cried.

Commander Radcliffe, proud leader of the Hoshidian forces and under King Sumeragi, wept as fell into the pool of the bodies of his soldiers.

* * *

Fool. And the reaction of him was quite to behold, it noted. It took enjoyment, yet felt no happiness, as it had none to even feel. But the Commander's reaction was what it expected. This was what it expected, and so did its companions.

The being nodded to its companions, its face betraying nothing, feeling nothing. Just a simple gesture to strike.

And so they did.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah. Fuck longer chapters. I'm doing shorter chapters.

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah. So that was the prologue. That took me a couple of weeks to write down. Yeesh. And by the way, school-or rather, college- started for me last week so that was fun. Was hoping to get this out before school but then nope. My lazy ass and procrastination of this story, added with bits of writers block and doses of homework, prevented me from getting this out to you guys. So I got this out after the first week of college. Sorry. 
> 
> Thoughts so far? Comment them down below. 
> 
> Also, just before I close this off, I would like to clarify that the prophecy that was spoken of in this chapter is inspired and taken from the Chosen One prophecy and the Prophecy of the Sith'ari from Star Wars, just for those that did not know. Some of the lines from the Star Wars Chosen One and Sith'ari prophecy were also taken for this story's prophecy of the Twins of Fate and The Rule of Two (which the name of latter is also a code the Sith follow in the Star Wars universe. The Rule of Two from Star Wars, or rather: the name, is where I got the title for the Rule of Two prophecy in this story.) Main reason I did this was always because while watching a playthrough of revelations and hearing of Corrin's legendary weapon, Yato, and how the Yato chose Corrin as the one fit to wield it, it made me think that Corrin was always connected to a prophecy of some sorts. Then I was thinking of Star Wars and its prophecies and thought a prophecy foretold before fates could really fit into this retelling of it with the revelations path. You can read about the Star Wars prophecies and where I got inspiration from them in wookiepedia, the official Star Wars wiki. Links:  
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Chosen_One  
https://starwars.fandom.com/wiki/Sith%27ari
> 
> Also, Ambree is an OC I created. She will only appear in this prologue so far and won't appear in any more chapters as of anytime soon. Her role as of right now is limited. For those wondering about her name and why I chose it, it means "A servant to Allah who is the all mighty and all knowing." She is a servant to him, which she considers him all knowing and mighty.
> 
> Anyway. I will see you guys next chapter. Til then.


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